Romanov Sheep

The Romanov is an almost extinct breed of sheep, whose presence in Russia has been documented back to 1802. Romanov sheep once ‘dressed’ half the country: Coats made from the breed’s wool were worn by everyone from government officials to merchants to peasants. As well as wool, Romanov sheep produce excellent meat. The breed has adapted perfectly to the harsh conditions of the Russian winter and breeds well, but the sheep often cannot survive intensive farming methods. There were almost 2 million Romanov sheep in Russia in 1850, but by 2000 the number had fallen to just 16,000. Currently there are just over 5,000 animals living on farms in the Yaroslavl region, though the breed is still farmed in France, Spain, Bulgaria and other Western European countries, where the total population is over 100,000. Adult rams weigh between 70 and 75 kilos, while ewes weigh between 50 and 55 kilos. Milk production ranges from 100 to 300 kilos per 100 days of lactation, with an average daily yield of 1.2 to 1.4 kilos. The meat is tender and more delicate compared to meat from other small sheep.