The Skudde is a nordic, short-tailed heather sheep. Its original homeland was East Prussia and the Baltic States. Today a few small herds can be found in these areas.

 

Features

The most noticeable feature of the Skudde buck is the imposing snail horn. The ewes are hornless or carry horn stumps. In individual cases it occurs that ewes carry chamois-like “hornlets.” The animals are slender, the weight of the bucks lies between 35-50 kg, that of the ewes from 25-40 kg. The wool mixture typical of this breed consists of fine wool fibers, dispersed with short hairs and course cover hair. The colors are white, brown, black and gray. White Skuddes have nowadays small pigment spots on the head. Lambs have a rust-colored marking in the nape of the neck and on the legs. This coloring disappears in adults.

 

Performance

Skuddes are not kept for their meat. They are suited for pasturing more barren areas. The meat is held to be a delicacy in circles of connoisseures. Skuddes come into heat aseasonally. Lambs are born at any time of the year. As a rule three lambings are possible in two years.

 

Breeding Organization and Goals

The Alliance of Swiss Skudde Breeders has set as its goal to maintain Skuddes in their original form and not to breed in any other types so that the valuable characteristics of the Skudde are not lost.

 

Endangerment and Distribution

The current stock amounts to approx. 1000 animals in Germany, approximately 150 animals in Austria and approximately 250 animals in Switzerland. These stocks can be traced back to a few individuals. We have a few diligent breeders to thank that this breed still exists today.

 

Prospects

In the future the health of the progeny must be devoted more attention (in-breeding problems). The Alliance of Swiss Skudde Breeders is decidedly against crossing outside breeds with the Skudde. Since the Skudde population in Switzerland is increasing in size and the type is held to be secured, the Skuddes here (in Switzerland) can also be selected carefully according to typical breed features.

 

 

References

Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds 1995, Pro Specie Rara, Engelgasse 12a, CH-9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland, Telefon: xx41/(0)71/222 74 20, Fax: xx41/(0)71/223 74 01. German Translation provided by John te Velde, Associate Professor of German, Oklahoma State University