Vendéen
Encyclopedia
The Vendéen is a breed
of domestic sheep
originating near Vendée
in western France
. It was developed by crossing local ewes with Southdown
rams in the early 19th century. It is primarily a meat breed known for its muscularity and ability to produce large litters of lambs. They have a fine, medium-length wool. Both Vendéen ewes and rams are polled, and have faces and legs dark brown or gray hair.
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 domestic sheep
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
originating near Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
in western 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 was developed by crossing local ewes with Southdown
Southdown (sheep)
The Southdown is a small, dual purpose British sheep but is raised primarily for meat. The Southdown breed was originally bred by John Ellman of Glynde, near Lewes, East Sussex about 200 years ago. His work was continued by Jonas Webb of Babraham in Cambridgeshire who developed the larger animal...
rams in the early 19th century. It is primarily a meat breed known for its muscularity and ability to produce large litters of lambs. They have a fine, medium-length wool. Both Vendéen ewes and rams are polled, and have faces and legs dark brown or gray hair.