Diversity

About Skudde SheepAbout Skudde Sheep



Skudde are nordic, short-tailed heather sheep. They originally were from East Prussia and the Baltic States. However, today only a few small herds can be found in these areas.

Skudde sheep have an imposing snail horn. The ewes are hornless or carry horn stumps. In individual cases, it occurs that ewes carry chamois-like hornlets. They are slender, rams weight between 35 and 50 kg (77-110 lbs), and ewes weigh from 25 to 40 kg (55-88 lbs).

Their wool consists of fine wool fibers, dispersed with short hairs and course cover hair. They are white, brown, black, or gray. White Skuddes have small pigment spots on their head. Lambs have a rust-colored marking on the nape of their neck and on their legs. This coloring disappears in adults.

They are suited for pasturing more barren areas. The meat is held to be a delicacy in circles of connoisseurs. Skuddes come into heat aseasonally. Lambs are born at any time of the year. As a rule three lambings are possible in two years.