Jacob  sheep Jacob  sheep
Jacob  sheep
Jacob  sheep
Jacob  sheep

Jacob

The Jacob is a unique breed. Their most striking features are their four horns, two vertical center horns and two side horns curling along side of the head, and their spotted black and white fleece which is prized by hand spinners and weavers. The Jacob is an old, unimproved breed whose origins are obscure to say the least. Some say they are the result of the earliest recorded selective breeding as referenced in the Bible.

Others claim they descend from Moorish sheep brought from Spain or Africa or from Norse sheep from Scandinavia and the northern Scottish islands. Jacobs came to Britain via the Iberian Peninsula and have been raised there for over 350 years. Until recent times, Jacobs were kept at only a few large estates in England and thought to be in danger of extinction, but they are making a comeback. The Jacob is classified as a "rare" breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Breed category: medium wool, rare / Distribution: United Kingdom, Europe, North America