Other names: Wallis Blacknose, Walliser Schwarznasenschaf, Blacknosed Swiss, Visp, Visperschaf.

The Valais Blacknose, German: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf, is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region of Switzerland. It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for meat and for wool.

History

The breed originates in the mountains of the canton of Valais – from which its name derives – and of the Bernese Oberland. It is documented as far back as the fifteenth century, but the present German name was not used before 1884; the breed standard dates from 1962. In the past, there was some cross-breeding with imported sheep, in the nineteenth century of Bergamasca and Cotswold stock, and the twentieth-century of the Southdown breed.

Characteristics

The Schwarznasenschaf is a mountain breed, well adapted to grazing on the stony pastures of its area of origin. Both rams and ewes are horned.

Use

The Valais Blacknose is a dual-purpose breed, reared for both meat and wool. The wool is coarse: fibre diameter averages approximately 38 microns, and staple length is 100 mm or more. The annual yield is about 4 kg per head.