Ewe and Friend courtesy of Unicorner Farm – Bob and Debbi Brown
Tunis is one of the oldest breeds of sheep, it is thought that they are descended from the fat-tailed sheep written about in the Bible. They originate in Tunisia on the norther coast of Africa.
Tunis in Summer thanks to Dale Huhnke
The earliest know importation to the U.S. was in the 1700’s a gift of Tunis Sheep given to Judge Richard Peters of Pennsylvania by the ruler of Tunisia. After importation people began crossing Tunis with other european meat breeds to improve the breed. This breed was favored by famous americans such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington.
Newborn lambs by Katlin Wiest
Tunis are a medium sized , polled sheep with cream colored wool and cinnamon red face and legs. The lambs are hearty at birth and have a warm red double coat. The creamy white fleece appears as the lamb gets older. The wool is lustrous and long stapled. Tunis ewes are awesome milkers and have been used in sheep dairies. Tunis are known to breed out of season, which makes them valuable for fall lambing. They are known for disease resistance and the ability to tolerate both warm and cold climates.
Tunis Twins from Unicorner Farm thanks to Bob and Debbie Brown
Information from Wikipedia, Oklahoma State University, and the National Tunis Sheep Registry Inc.
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