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Navajo-Churro Sheep Association Breed Standard
For Detailed information with great color photographs, download the "Guide to the Selection of Navajo-Churro Sheep" - click here for a PDF.
Description
Navajo-Churro sheep are coarse, long wooled sheep for use as wool,
meat and dairy animals. They come in all colors from white through
every shade of the natural tones. An unimproved breed, they are
frequently long legged with narrow bodies and show little inclination
to put on fat. The sheep should have sound legs and straight top
line which tends to slope to the dock in more primitive individuals.
They can be horned or polled with a little wool on the poll and
none on the cheeks, around or below the eyes or on the nose. The
belly should have little or no wool. There should be no wool on
the front or back legs. The fleece is high yielding with low grease
content. Some sheep may have wattles and some have short ears.
Size
Mature ewes weigh approximately 85 - 120 pounds.
Mature rams weigh approximately 120 - 175 pounds.
Color
Specific color patterns with accepted international genetic names
will be used where possible to describe sheep for the registry.
White sheep, often with spotted faces and legs, are most common.
Colors are described as light tan, brown, black and grey. Patterns
such as badgerface, black and tan, piebald and spotted are encountered.
These multicolored individuals can come in two,three or four distinct
colors. White on the poll and white tipped tails on solid colored
animals are common. Birth color is recorded if known and mature
color is noted in addition.
Fleece
The wool is classified as coarse and is composed of 3 distinct
types of fiber. The fleece is open and has no defined crimp. The
inner coat measures 3-5" and the outer coat 6-12".
Inner Coat
Wool fibers range from 10-35 microns, comprising 80% of the fleece.
Outer Coat: Hair fibers measuring 35+ microns, comprising 10-20%
of the fleece.
Kemp: Short opaque fibers of 65+ microns not to exceed 5% of the
fleece.
Horns
Navajo-Churro sheep may be horned or polled in either sex. Multiple
horns are not uncommon and should be balanced. Horns should not
grow excessively forward or into the face causing obvious interference
with the sheep's well being. In two horned rams they should be
well spread with adequate spacing away from the cheeks and jaw.
Tail
The Navajo-Churro is a long tailed breed without a fat tail or
fat rump.
Legs
Woolless front and back
Belly
Little or no wool
Ears
Medium sized, not broad, not large or droopy. Small ears can occur.
Eyes
Eyes should be clear and bright with no evidence of corneal ulceration
due to split eyelid.
