breed standards—barbados blackbelly
GENERAL APPEARANCE The first impression of a good BB sheep is that of a noble animal, strong, alert, well muscled and clean cut, unlike its woolly cousins of the temperate world. The sheep is as tall as it is long. It gives the impression of muscular fitness without any look of clumsiness or softness. The ideal sheep is stamped with a look of quality and nobility-difficult to define, but unmistakable when present. Secondary characteristics are strongly marked in the adult, thus clearly identifying the ram from the ewe at first look.  
HEAD The head is noble with a typical "roman" nose. The head of the ram is distinctly masculine and that of the ewe feminine. The muzzle is wide and strong with firm lips. The lower jaw is colored black. Incisor teeth must meet the dental pad. Head
EARS The ears are pointed and when alert stick out from the side of the head parallel to the ground. The inside of the ears is black. Some variation in the size of ears is permitted. Floppy ears and half ears or less ("elf" ears) are discriminated against. Ears
EYES The eyes are brown in color and almond shaped. A wide black mark runs from the base of the nose on each side to the crown of the head. Inverted eyelids are discriminated against. Eyes
POLL Barbados Blackbelly rams are polled or may have small, loose scurs. Ewes are polled. Polled ram
NECK The neck is strong and muscular, clean cut without loose folds of skin. Occasionally wattles are found, but are discriminated against. In the case of an adult ram, a mane is present covering the neck right down to the chest. An armor of coarse hair covers the entire neck. Neck
FOREQUARTERS The shoulders are laid on flat and both the upper arm and the shoulder blade are well muscled. The forelegs viewed from the side are straight. The pasterns are strong and springy; these sheep are known for their jumping ability. The forelegs are black on the front from the knees down.  
HINDQUARTERS The hindquarters should be muscular with a long sloping croup (rump). The hind legs viewed from behind should be straight. Any tendency to cow hock or bandiness (pulled together as tied together) is discriminated against.  
FEET The hooves should be well formed and kept trimmed and should show no signs of foot rot.  
BODY CAPACITY Body capacity should be relatively large in relation to the size of the animal. The body should be deep and wide with well-sprung ribs.  
TOPLINE The withers are higher than and sloping into a level back. The loin viewed from the top should be broad and strong. The croup (rump) should be long and gradually sloping. Short steep croups are to be discriminated against.  
TAIL The tail should be long, reaching to the top of the hocks as the sheep is walking. The tail should not be docked. The color should blend in, with the exception of a distinct white tip of no more than 1 1/2 in. being permissible. Tail
COAT The ideal BB sheep has a coarse hair coat. There should be lanolin to repel ticks and other ectoparasites. Some wooliness is tolerated. A wooly coat that is not shed is a disqualifying trait. The sheep should not be shorn. Coat
COLOR The color is typical of the breed with a black belly. The color on top of the back can vary from light fawn through brown to reddish brown. Dark coloring
Light coloring

GOALS FOR
IMPROVING
THE BREED

We prefer improvement through selective breeding over out-crossing and purging to preserve the genes and qualities of the sheep originally imported from the Island of Barbados. This is what we call "preserving the integrity" of the breed and is of utmost importance.

Some important things to select in your brood stock:

  • Slick hair with smooth blending colors
  • Strong bones and soundness
  • More muscled legs and backs for more choice meat
  • Ewes with a larger carrying capacity for multiple fetal deliveries and larger lambs
  • Ewes with adequate udders
  • Ewes with a large pelvis for ease in birth
  • Ewes with non-seasonal estrus and quick breed-back
  • Ewes with good maternal instinct
  • Rams that hold their heads high when alert
  • Stock that reproduces the best qualities
  • Ewes with black on the back of the udders all the way up and on the underside of the tails
  • Rams with a black mane all the way down the front of the neck
  • Parasite resistance
  • Early puberty

The black mane and black all the way up the butt are not required on the Island of Barbados and probably should never be for our registry.

Cull out white feet and stockings or white rings around the hock area, short ears, short tails, and tendencies for sheep with a "white star" or "crown" on the face or top of the head.

Registering an animal does not improve the quality of the animal, but documents the animal's quality and that of its offspring. If you have good sheep that satisfy you but that do not meet the standards for registry, keep and enjoy them. We encourage you to record them (in contrast to registering them; see the registration application) but please do not ask the association to compromise the standards for the breed by making exceptions.