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The Navajo Churro sheep are descendants of Spanish Churro sheep that were originally brought to America as a source of meat for conquistadors and the missionaries that followed them. They were first used by Native Americans for the same purpose, but quickly came to be valued for their wool, and selection for fleece character along with the natural selection of the arid Southwestern deserts led to the development of the Navajo Churro. In the 1860s the Navajo Churro sheep population was nearly destroyed by government culling programs in an attempt to subjugate the Navajo. The remaining stock was diluted by efforts to “improve” flocks through the introduction of other breeds. The Navajo Churro Sheep Association and registry began in 1986 and includes the many groups of people who had historically been involved with the breed. The population is now stable and growing, and efforts to maintain breed purity and to return flocks to the Navajo continue. Navajo Churro sheep have a fine, soft inner coat and a long, coarse outer coat that sheds rain and snow and protects the inner coat from dust and dirt. The fleece is open and low in grease, making it easy to process, and can be found in a range of colors including white, silver, red, blue, brown, black and spotted. It has traditionally been used for Navajo rug weaving and tapestries, as it is primarily considered a carpet wool.
More on heritage sheep breeds from MotherEarthNews.com: The Karakachanska Ovca is a Serbian heritage sheep breed that is also being brought back from the brink of extinction. Originally developed by the Karakacani ethnic group, only one farm still bred and raised these sheep a few years ago. Now with support from the Serbian government and from people concerned about the agricultural biodiversity of the region, there are fifteen Karakachan breeders in the region and efforts are being made to develop the economic stability of the breed. For more information, visit the link above.
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