The
Skudde is a small, short-tailed moorland sheep. Its coarse fleece, the long
covering jar and the ram’s imposing spiral horns are distinguishing features.
Usually, the sheep are either hornless or have only small horns like buds. Skuddes
are slender, hardy, rather shy, undemanding, and well adapted to thin meadows.
There are white, black, or brown.
The Skudde is alert, lively, and has a good temperament. Its behaviour is similar to that of wild sheep. Their playfulness and maternal instincts attract attention.
When in regular contact with human beings, the animals become trusting. Having never been selected for its productivity, it has retained its ancestral hardiness and liveliness.
The Skudde is programmed for extensive feeding and also consumes bark and dead leaves. Slow, natural growth produces quality meat. The rams weigh between 35 and 50 kg and the ewes between 25 and 35 kg. The breed is characterised by low susceptibility to diseases and easy parturition. The for the breed typical wool consists of very fine wool fibres mixed with coarse fillings and blanket jars.
Source: www.ayko-bleu.ch
