The Bizet is a domesticated breed

Breed

A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...

 of sheep originating from France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. It grows wool

Wool

Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....

 but is primarily raised for meat. In 1952, the Bizet was introduced on the Kerguelen archipelago

Kerguelen Islands

The Kerguelen Islands , also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean constituting the emerged part of the otherwise submerged Kerguelen Plateau. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands and the Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands are part of...

. It is utilized as food for the scientific station there.

Characteristics

Rams have horns and ewes are polled (hornless). At maturity, rams grow to 80 cm (31.5 in) and ewes 75 cm (29.5 in) at the withers. On average, rams weigh 90 kg (198.4 lb) and ewes 55 kg (121.3 lb). Ewes can lamb up to three times in two years.

History

The breed was developed between 1830 and 1900 by crossing first with the Caussenards breed, then with the Southdown and Dishley English breeds. In 1905, steps were taken to start standardizing the breed.