Click here for latest onindex Defra BT- Animal health & welfare - Bluetongue disease

 

History And Origin

The breed is known in France as The Rouge de l'Ouest

(usually shortened to Rouge) which translates as

The Red of the West, describing both the colour and

origin of the sheep.

The Rouge breed originates mainly from the Loire

area in France. Renowned for its rich thick milk the

Rouge was originally kept as a dairy sheep producing

Camembert cheese. French breeders however concentrated

on breeding their animals for superior conformation,

whilst retaining prolificacy and milkiness and these attributes,

rarely seen together in one animal were the primary reason for the breed's introduction to the British Isles.