The Namaqua Afrikaner is one of the two oldest breeds of sheep in South Africa.
Before the time of Christ, South Africa was occupied solely by the San hunter gatherers (Bushman). There is no archaeological evidence of domesticated animals during this period and it appears that they were brought into this country by the Khoi-Khoi people, who migrated from the central lake area of Africa bringing their sheep with them. The Namaqua Afrikaner is probably a descendant of these sheep, as sheep seen in the rock art of these early people look very similar to our present-day breed.
Rock art showing a Pedi-like sheep
For many centuries this mutton breed has lived in desert conditions in northwestern South Africa down to the southern parts of Namibia and has become very hardy, adapting to the extremes of temperature and arid conditions. They have long, strong legs which enable them to walk long distances in search of food and water. Like the Persian breeds, the uneven distribution of fat allows the animal to shed heat more easily than imported European breeds. The tail is long, sometimes reaching the heels and has a distinctive twist. The coat, which consists of a coarse hair rather than wool, moults each spring. At this time the hair is plucked rather than shorn and is ideal for making mats and blankets. The sheep have a dual purpose as both their coat and their meat are useful.
The Namaqua Afrikaners is an endangered species which was rescued from probable extinction in 1950 when the Department of Agriculture bought a few remaining sheep and established a flock at an experimental farm near Carnarvon.
A Namaqua Afrikaner ewe and lambs Blinkhaar Afrikaners in the Northen Cape
The Blinkhaar Ronderib Afrikaner is an extremely hardy mutton/wool breed and is the second probable descendant of the original Khoi-Khoi sheep. It is one of the larger breeds of indigenous sheep which are generally smaller than imported breeds. There are two known varieties of this breed, one which has soft, fine, shiny hair being the Blinkhaar Ronderib Afrikaner and a second which has coarse hair, the Steekhaar Ronderib Afrikaner which was thought to be extinct. However, twenty animals were found in 1995 on a farm near Upington. The ribs of both are oval in cross section rather than flat. It is these two characteristics of coat and rib shape which give this breed its distinctive name.
Like the Namaqua Afrikaner the breed is well adapted to desert conditions and is remarkable for the long periods it can survive without water. The Ronderib Afrikaners show a further characteristic of desert animals in that, like the gemsbok, their heels are close together.
The aim of the old Ronderib breeders was to select sheep with a shiny coat covering suitable for the making of skin blankets (velkomberse). This is another sheep breed that is endangered and has been kept from extinction by a few breeders in the Karoo and Northern Cape who recognised the value of the breed.
The Persian Sheep are mutton breeds which originated in Somalia.
Persian sheep are adapted to arid conditions
Legend has it that they arrived in South Africa in 1868 when a sailing ship from the Persian Gulf area was crippled by a storm in the vicinity of Swellendam. When the ship landed for repairs it was found to have four sheep of a strange breed on board - three ewes and a ram. An interest was shown in these animals by two farmers who persuaded the captain to exchange them for an equal number of their own sheep. They were subsequently taken to a farm near Worcester. Although one ewe was killed by a bull, the remaining sheep flourished and multiplied.
However, archaeologists have recently questioned this story. It seems more likely that early Arab traders visiting the eastern seaboard brought the sheep with them, either as a source of food for the long sea voyage or for trading purposes. Scientists also question whether the large numbers of Persians present in South Africa late last century, could have arisen from so few sheep without signs of inbreeding.
This Blackhead Persian has been used in cross-breeding programmes to produce sheep such as the Dorper, a very successful commercial breed which can survive our challenging African conditions.
Blackhead Persians
The sheep are of the fat-rumped variety prevalent in North Africa. They have been subjected to harsh conditions for centuries and due to the process of natural selection are hardy, disease resistant and fertile. They are predominantly white with black heads and have a proud, regal bearing.
Although this is an established mutton breed, its skin has been found to be valuable for the production of glove leather.
The Redhead Persian is another variety of the Blackhead Persian. Again, according to legend, one of the ewes from the shipwrecked sailing boat gave birth to twins one of which was a black headed male lamb and the other a redheaded female lamb. This red headed lamb subsequently gave birth to only red headed offspring. To this day Redhead lambs are still born of Blackhead Persian parents.
The Redhead Persian The Persian tail
The tail of the Persian breeds is interesting. Ancient Egyptians often depicted sheep in drawings but none appeared to have had the typical fat rump of the animals now found in Somalia. It is surmised that they evolved from the mixing of two ancient breeds one a fat- tail and one a thin-tailed breed. In any event, the tail of our Blackhead Persian sheep is quite remarkable, having a large fat portion close to the rump, a second which is smaller and curves upwards and the last tiny thin piece which hangs perpendicularly (the sjambok). Fat is stored in the dewlap as well as in the tail.
The origin of the Speckled (skilder) Persians is not known for certain, but it appears that it might have originated on a farm near Hopetown. The farmer, Mr Nicholas Nel, had a flock of Blackhead Persian sheep and in 1911 a Namaqua Afrikaner ram from an adjoining farm "jumped the fence"! One of the lambs born after the event was found to have a strange coat pattern of stripes and blotches. It was presumed that this lamb was the progeny of the offending ram as Namaqua Afrikaners occasionally show stripes and blotches in their coat colour.
There are two coloured varieties, the Black and the Red Speckled (Skilder) Persians. These once popular varieties have the distinctive black or red head of the breed and a speckled, blotchy coat colour, each sheep having its own distinctive pattern. The Red Skilder Persian is very rare.
Red Speckled (Skilder) Persian Black Speckled (Skilder) Persian
As with other fat-tailed sheep the Persian stores a great deal of its energy in its tail in the form of fat, rather than storing it in an even layer around the body. This helps them to dissipate heat easily and thus to tolerate hot desert conditions. The fat in the tail is valued for the making of wors.
The Nguni sheep also have their origins in the past. Several routes were taken by the Iron Age people in their migration to the south. One group came down the east coast into Natal and then dispersed further to the south. This dispersal was limited by the growing conditions for their crops, such as millet, that could not be grown on the cold plateau of the Highveld. These people brought sheep and cattle with them and it is these which are thought to be ancestors of the present Nguni breeds.
An Nguni ewe and her lamb "Mouse ears" on Zulu ram
The Nguni sheep are divided into three groups - the Swazi sheep, the Zulu sheep and the Pedi. The Zulu sheep have a mixed appearance in that their tails can be either thin or fat, they have different colours and sizes and they can have a coat of either wool or hair. This variation seems to point to recently crossbred sheep but in fact is due to a broad ancestral gene pool. This broad gene pool can give rise to a varied physical appearance but also supplies the genes necessary for the animals' adaptation to different and sometimes challenging conditions. This breed can, in fact, survive and flourish where other sheep breeds die.
Generally, this breed has a black, brown or reddish brown coat that is sometimes pied. The tail is fat, long and carrot shaped. However, sheep do occur which have a long thin tail which contain very little fat. The ears, which are short and narrow, are sometimes very small mouse ears.
The numbers of this breed are declining rapidly due to replacement by imported breeds and to the stock theft which is prevalent in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Pedi sheep are found predominantly in Sekukuniland, south of the Soutpansberg. It has almost completely disappeared due to cross-breeding with the Dorper. There is a purebred flock left at Delftzijl in Sekukuniland.
Pedi sheep on the Stellenbosch Research Station in Sekukuniland
Most modern Pedi's are white in colour with a brown head. However, many of the sheep found in the rural areas are patterned black, brown and white. The Pedi has long strong legs which allows it to walk long distances in search of food and water and it stays in good condition in the worst drought conditions. The tail of the Pedi is straight, long and fat and when the ewes are suckling their lambs, this fat almost completely disappears. They have a natural tolerance of the ticks and diseases found in their environment.
Pedi ram
Some members of the Pedi Club, are encouraging the return of the multicoloured sheep.
The Damara breed originated in Namibia where they adapted to desert conditions. They are now widely distributed in South Africa in increasing numbers as they both highly productive and low maintenance. They have a long wavy coat in the winter which they shed to leave a short hairy coat. In the recent past, there was a tendency to select red Damaras but the original sheep were white through to various shades of brown to black. Black and white or brown and white patterns are still quite common. The sheep are very fertile and the ewes are very protective being able to defend their lambs against smaller predators and larger raptors. They are one of the toughest and hardiest breeds in the country.
The Damara Breed Society, established in 1992 now has 82 members.
A Damara ram
The publication "Indigenous Sheep and Goat Breeds of South Africa" gives further information on indigenous sheep and goat breeds.
Further information is available lkruger@arc.agric.za
