Oxford Down sheep are a breed of domestic sheep from the United Kingdom. It was developed in the 1830s in Oxford, England.
The breed was created by crossing Hampshire, Cotswold and South Down breeds of sheep and using the resulting crosses to form the basis of the modern breed.
Oxford Down sheep became very popular in many countries and were widely exported throughout Europe and North America.
As farmers focused on producing smaller seals, the breed’s popularity declined in the second half of the 20th century.
Like the other Down breeds, the Oxford Down gave way to the Suffolk and imported breeds of sheep such as the Texel.
Today the breed enjoys a good reputation and breeders are beginning to realize the potential of the Oxford Down sheep. The Oxford Down Sheep Breeders’ Association was founded in 1889, the period in which the first book on the herd was published.
Today, the breed is grown primarily for meat production. However, for more information about this breed of sheep, read below.
Characteristics of Oxford sheepskin down
Oxford Down sheep are large animals with a beautiful appearance. As a rule, they are large animals, and rams and ewes are usually polled.
They have a black or brown face and paws with white fur and short hair. They produce the densest wool of all Down sheep.
They also have the ability to produce a large carcass of meat, and these animals also produce the most wool of all the final sire races.
Fleece of adult animals weighing from 3.6 to 5.4 kg, with a fiber diameter of 30.0 to 34.5 micrometers and a numerical value of 46 to 50. The length of the wool fiber varies from 3 to 5 inches and yields 50 to 62 percent. .
The average live weight of sexually mature ewes ranges from 91 to 113 kg. Mature rams are slightly larger than ewes. And the average live weight of sexually mature rams ranges from 110 to 140 kg. Photos and information from Wikipedia.
Advantages
Oxford Down sheep are a breed of mutton. It is grown mainly for meat production.
Special Notes
Oxford Down sheep are very beautiful and hardy animals. They are well adapted to a wide range of climates and can thrive in an abundant diet.
They are considered a very valuable breed for producing lambs in the market. The sheep are very prolific and their lambing rate of around 150% is not unusual.
Sheep are good mothers and most sheep nurse twins without much effort. Lambs are usually large and strong at birth.
Oxford Down is a very good feeder, handles abundant forage well, and eats large amounts of pasture and hay particularly well.
Oxford Down rams are very useful in raising small ewes to increase the weight and size of the lambs.
Today, the breed is grown primarily for meat production. However, see the full breed profile of the Oxford Down sheep in the following table.
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| Breed name | Oxford down |
| another name | Oxford |
| Purpose of the breed | Meat |
| Special Notes | Very hardy and strong animals, very beautiful in appearance, well adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions, can do well in conditions of abundant feeding, are considered a very valuable breed for the production of market lambs, ewes are very prolific, lambs are usually large and very strong at birth, rams are useful for breeding small ewes |
| Breed size | big |
| The weight | The mass of mature ewes is 91-113 kg, and the body weight of mature rams is 110-140 kg. |
| horns | Not |
| climatic tolerance | native climate |
| Color | White |
| scarcity | general |
| Country/place of origin | UK |
