Legs – Set squarely under sheep, heavily boned and covered with white hair below the wool line. It is a hardy dual-purpose breed with a long sturdy body and legs. Usually, around 149 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days, Usually, around 150 to 240 day but most are milked for 180 days, Good, Quantity: Enough to wean lambs , Per: Lactation period. Color(s): White Beginning in 1912 in Laramie, Wyoming, Lincoln rams were crossed with Rambouillet ewes. Long ears with soft hair covering them. With the wide variety of color patterns, including dark gray, black, brown, moorit, and spotted, not excluding the barred face badger pattern typical to the original CVMs, a breed description has been difficult. Columbia. Columbia Sheep Characteristics. Columbia Sheep Breeders Association of America, American Sheep Industry Association List of Breed Associations & Standards. But the Columbia sheep are much larger than the Corriedale sheep. Pasterns – Moderately short and strong. The staple length of the wool ranges from 3.5 to 5 in (8.9 to 12.7 cm). They are mainly white in color, and they have wool all over their bodies except for their bare. Your email address will not be published. They have a defined straight long nose and a clean face. They have a defined straight long nose and a clean face. They have a fine meat quality with a good meat to bone ratio with some fat to keep the meat succulent. The wool is classified as medium wool with a spin count of 50s to 60s. It is one of the larger breeds, and is often used for cross breeding in commercial western flocks. Unlike any sheep, the CVM will not fade with age, but rather darkens from birth to their first year. The Columbia Sheep breed were developed in America for range conditions. [2] In 1918, the foundation flock was moved to the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station near Dubois, Idaho, for further refinement. The ewes are excellent nurturing mothers. Columbia sheep were developed by the United States Department of Agriculture as a true breeding type to replace cross breeding on the range. They are primarily bred for their superior wool production. The rustic charm of this woolen spun yarn has kept it in high demand since the beginning, allowing an expanded color palette. . In 1912, rams of the long wool breeds were crossed with high quality Rambouillet ewes to produce large ewes yielding more pounds of … Knitted garments, clothes, blankets, etc. They have many similarities with the Corriedale sheep. The Columbia is one of the first breeds of sheep developed in the United States. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Hoofs – May be either white or black. Their feet is black and have a black muzzle. Adult rams weigh between 275 and 400 lb (125 and 181 kg), while females weigh between 175 and 300 lb (79 and 136 kg). Their color patterns vary widely, especially in the darkness of body wool. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Named after the Columbia sheep, it was originally offered in just 2 colors, Natural and Pearl Gray. They are highly prolific and can be bred more than once a year with a high percentage lambing rate. Today's Columbia is a popular breed, with heavy, white fleeces and good growth characteristics. It is one of the larger breeds, and is often used for cross breeding in commercial western flocks. The Columbia sheep are large animals with white face. The Columbia Sheep Breeders Association of America is an organization of breeders of purebred Columbia sheep for the purpose of keeping records of such sheep and the promotion of the mutual interest of the members. They were developed by the United States Department of Agriculture for a sheep that was a fast grower and had a good staple wool quality. The wool varies from 31.0 to 24.0 microns. Today's Columbia is a popular breed, with heavy, white fleeces and good growth characteristics. The Columbia Sheep breed is a large breed that’s fleece caps its head to its polled horns and has fleece covered legs. Currently offered in 15 gorgeous colors, including Imperial exclusive heathers, this yarn promises to perform and will not disappoint. They are prolific breeders and are a hardy breed that can take of their young. It is one of the larger breeds, and is often used for cross breeding in commercial western flocks. [2], https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Columbia_sheep&oldid=960085935, Sheep breeds originating in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 June 2020, at 02:01. They are a large breed of livestock and no child should be left unsupervised around livestock. Novice to intermediate level of sheep farming. The Columbia Sheep breed is a large breed that’s fleece caps its head to its polled horns and has fleece covered legs. An average fleece from a ewe weighs from 10 to 16 lb (4.5 to 7.3 kg), with a yield of 45 to 55%. Today's Columbia is a popular breed, with heavy, white fleeces and good growth characteristics. Yes, Quality: Medium with a spin count of 50s to 60s. A few good pointers that are good to know about the Columbia Sheep breed. The Polypay sheep is a synthetic breed of sheep that was developed in the United States of America. They are pointed and stick out to the side of the head. [1] The product of USDA and university research, it was intended to be an improved breed adapted for the Western ranges of the country (where the majority of sheep raising takes place).[1]. Columbia is the first yarn offered by Imperial Yarn. Since its beginning in 1941, the Association has dedicated itself to the registration and improvement of Columbia sheep. As with most sheep breeds, they love to forage and are quite good grazers that can graze their way through many different bush or greenery types.