Navajo Churro

The Navajo-Churro was the first domesticated sheep introduced into North America. Brought from Southern Spain in 1514, Churro sheep became the mainstay of Spanish ranches and villages along the Rio Grande.

Native Indians acquired flocks of Churro for food and clothing through raids and trading and eventually incorporated them into their lifestyle. After nearly becoming extinct through a government sheep "improvement" program in the mid-1900's, the breed is now recovering and becoming more popular, though still considered a "rare" breed.

They are a small breed, hardy, and disease resistant. Rams may carry four horns. The Churro fleece is long, fine, and coarse. It has two layers and is low in oil. Native Navajo tribes still use the Churro fleece to weave their famous rugs and blankets. The Navajo Churro is classified as a "rare" breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.