The Karakuls are a unique sheep in Canada, and a rare breed, but in Central Asia, they are one of the most plentiful breeds, especially Mongolia and Uzbekestan.
The tail of an average North American sheep
The tails of the Karakuls, fat tailed breed from Central Asia.
During the height of their popularity, over 4 million, either newborn or about to be born, lambs were taken for their tightly curled lustrous pelts, which were fashioned into coats and hats for the haute couture trade. When people were made aware of exactly how the pelts were procured, the popularity quickly subsided and the value of the sheep decreased greatly. Many were slaughtered and few records were kept of the remaining sheep in North America. The Karakuls can cross with other sheep, however; they store their nutrients and fat in their tails, similar to the way a camel stores water and nutrients in the hump. When forage is good and plentiful, the Karakul tails swell considerably and when lean times come, the stored "food" is slowly absorbed by the body and the tail gets smaller once again.
The Karakul wool is primarily a felting wool or used for carpet making. It is highly durable and very strong, but rather too coarse to wear. The Mongolian method of felting large mats is to use an existing mat, spread the wool evenly over the top and roll it up with a log, then to drag the log rolling along creating the felt as it forces the wool to bond to itself. These mats are then used to cover the yurts in which the herdsmen live, protecting them from the elements and severe cold in the winter. Karakuls are also milked for the babies, because cows do not live where the Karakuls thrive.
There are two 100% pure Karakuls on the Fat Ewe Farm, Dora and Olga, named after my aunts, and Lena, who is 75% pure and white, named after my mother. She is a beautiful sheep and has the Karakul fleece, but her tail is not as fat as Dora's or Olga's. Now that the sheep are sheared, it is easy to see those tails. Remarkable, isn't it, how nature adapts?
The Karakul wool is primarily a felting wool or used for carpet making. It is highly durable and very strong, but rather too coarse to wear. The Mongolian method of felting large mats is to use an existing mat, spread the wool evenly over the top and roll it up with a log, then to drag the log rolling along creating the felt as it forces the wool to bond to itself. These mats are then used to cover the yurts in which the herdsmen live, protecting them from the elements and severe cold in the winter. Karakuls are also milked for the babies, because cows do not live where the Karakuls thrive.
There are two 100% pure Karakuls on the Fat Ewe Farm, Dora and Olga, named after my aunts, and Lena, who is 75% pure and white, named after my mother. She is a beautiful sheep and has the Karakul fleece, but her tail is not as fat as Dora's or Olga's. Now that the sheep are sheared, it is easy to see those tails. Remarkable, isn't it, how nature adapts?
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