California Variegated Mutant

The Romeldale is a breed of sheep developed by A.T. Spencer, who felt the Romney breed would increase the staple, length, and carcass quality of his Rambouillets. Through many years of selection, the Romeldale breed was developed, with fleece properties of 60-64's, extremely high yield, and uniformity including carcass cutability superior to the other whiteface breeds. During the 1960's, Glen Eidman, a partner of J.K. Sexton, found in his purebred Romeldale flock a multi-colored ewe lamb.

Two years later a ram lamb of the same barred pattern was born and when crossed with the ewe, the resulting offspring were of the same color pattern. Through subsequent breeding and further mutants from the Romeldale flock, the C.V.M. Breed was born. These sheep, christened C.V.M.'s or California Variegated Mutants, were kept by Eidman who then placed emphasis on spinability of the fleece, twinning, and lambing ease. The CVM is classified as a "critical" breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Breed categories: medium wool, rare