The Jacob Sheep is an old domestic sheep breed famous for its unusual spotted coat and multiple horns. Most animals have two or four horns, while some individuals may have as many as six.
The breed has a strong but relatively light build, long legs and a distinctive white fleece marked with black or dark grey patches. Jacob Sheep are hardy, active and adaptable animals that can thrive in a range of weather conditions and make good use of relatively poor pasture.
Jacob Sheep are social, active and relatively independent animals. They do well in groups and adapt easily to life on open pasture.
The breed is known for its hardiness and ability to use natural vegetation efficiently. Jacob Sheep can graze successfully even where forage is relatively limited.
Ewes are generally good mothers. They commonly give birth to one or two lambs, although twins and triplets are not unusual.
The exact ancient origin of the Jacob Sheep is uncertain. Possible links with multi-horned sheep from the Mediterranean region and the Middle East have been suggested, but there is no fully documented continuous line of descent.
Spotted, multi-horned sheep were known in Great Britain by at least the seventeenth century. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, they were often kept as ornamental animals in parks and on large British estates.
The breed later spread to continental Europe and North America. Today Jacob Sheep are kept for wool, meat, ornamental purposes and conservation of this distinctive traditional breed.
