The gene pool is presently large enough to maintain the breed type with the diversity of available unrelated lines. Navajochurro sheep association the navajo sheep project dine be iina, inc. Name two books that you have read that tell stories about sheep. Lyle mcneal formed the navajo sheep project to revitalize this breed and keep it from further depletion. The navajo traded their blankets, wool, sheep, and pelts for coffee, flour, sugar. I am now living in bozeman, montana with my flock and will continue to raise quality breeding stock and wool. Pdf navajochurro sheep have been part of the subsistence of three cultures in the southwest of the. The project has placed many breeding stock with navajo families and helped. Criteria for the breed had been established from data collected for three decades by the southwestern range and sheep breeding laboratory at fort wingate, new mexico. Mission of the navajo sheep project it is the mission of the navajo sheep project to preserve and breed back navajochurro sheep so they can return to their historic place and purpose among the navajo and hispanic cultures.
I started as a 4h project and have developed a large flock of quality breeding ewes and rams from diverse bloodlines. Sacred sheep revive navajo tradition, for now for as long as anyone can remember, churro sheep have been central to navajo life and spirituality. The navajo sheep project is dedicated to preserving the rare navajo churro sheep and promoting the. Navajo churro mittens to knit, by alexis manzanares, working from her grandmothers pattern with shepherds lamb certified organic churro, blanket, or worsted, weight i cant find a web reference for alexis, but there are a number of links to information on her familys sheep and wool. Navajochurro are relatively small, late developing sheep, with the average weight of a mature ram at about 160 pounds and a mature ewe at 80 to 120 pounds. Foremost among these, the navajo sheep project nsp at utah. Walks far acres navajo churro sheep farm home facebook. A printable, flatfile with lessons about churro sheep. This led to the establishment of the navajo sheep project, which is.
Several flocks have developed, and the navajo sheep project has introduced cooperative breeding programs in some navajo and hispanic flocks. Restoring navajochurro sheep iowa state university digital. Once on the brink of extinction, the population is now rebounding with the aid of. Now the churro is making a comeback, but the old navajo ways may not. Navajochurro sheep and wool as a traditional fiber resource furthers the. Navajo sheep project targeted educational programmes. I have been raising americas oldest breed of sheep the navajo churro for over eighteen years in montana. Pdf navajochurro sheep and wool in the united states. Navajochurro breed assumed a central role in the peoples psychology, creativity, and.
In the 1970s several individuals began acquiring churro phenotypes with the purpose of preserving the breed and revitalizing navajo and hispanic flocks. A mature navajochurro will not get its full grown size until late into its second year. The navajo churro sheep is a heritage breed descended from sheep originally brought to america by the spanish. The navajo churro sheep association was founded 25 years ago to maintain a breed registry and ensure quality. A recent book highlighting the use of purebred wools for.