PUDDLEDUCK FARM NAVAJO-CHURRO SHEEP

The Navajo-Churro sheep gets its name from a combination of the Spanish sheep of its origins, the Churra, and the shepherds who have maintained them for nearly 500 years, the Navajo people. The Navajo-Churro is the oldest and now rarest breeds of sheep in North America. Its incredible history, unique looks and specialty wool, used in the weaving of the best quality Navajo rugs, combine to make this animal a truly American breed well worth the effort to conserve for future generations.

Churra sheep were brought from Spain as a hardy, fresh meat supply for troops and settlers of the 'New World'. They are a carpet wool sheep(double coated) with woolless faces, legs and sometimes bellies, narrow bodies and fine bones. The sheep have a wide color range from deep browns through beiges and white and from black through gray, silver and blue as well as many patterns. Some sheep have wattles on their necks and some are born with short ears. A white crown in colored animals is referred to as "Two Grey Hills". Multiple horns are becoming less common because many breeders do not want the extra hassle of selecting rams with more than one pair of horns. Multiple horns have shown up in many breeds with Churro ancestry. The Navajo people believe that multiple horns are sacred, thus rams with this trait have been favored in the past. Unfortunately, four horned rams are now a rarity. It is important that this characteristic, which sets it apart from most other breeds, is not lost for ever.

These sheep show remarkable ability to subsist and reproduce on little feed and scarce water. The ewes are noted for their outstanding maternal instincts and rarely, if ever fail to claim their lambs. They are considered among the highest milk producers of any sheep breed.

The Navajo shepherds and weavers, both past and present, prefer all the characteristics of the older type Churro. These are the traits of the sheep we are striving to perpetuate and register.

Churro rams weigh 120 to 175 pounds, Ewes 85 to 120 pounds. Fleeces weigh 4 to 10 pounds with a 60-75% yield. Three distinct fibers are found in the fleece; an outer coat, occasionally 10" long, with a micron count of 48 to 56, a shorter inner coat, grading 28 to 36 microns. Many Churros have some kemp but this should not exceed 2%. Lamb birth weights are 6 to 9 pounds with few neonatal deaths or assisted births. The sheep are early maturing, prolific, and capable of raising triplets. They are resistant to foot rot and internal parasites.

In 1988 the Navajo-Churro Sheep Association was established. Ingrid was a founding member, served on the Board for ten years, and remains one of the association inspectors. The association has, through education, helped in the recognition and distribution of breeding lines to all corners of the United States and even into Canada. Before the formation of the association it was almost impossible to find new breeding stock. It took four years from the Painter's initial purchase of six sheep in 1974, to locate "new blood" for their small flock. This "new blood" came from a flock in California, owned by Buster Naegle, whose origins are reputed to be direct descendants of sheep hidden by the Navajo people before "the Long Walk". Puddleduck Farm sheep have gained national recognition through the quality of breeding stock sold around the country and through the continued enthusiasm for these primitive but beautiful animals.