Rouge du Roussillon
The Rouge du Roussillon (Catalan: Roig del Rosselló) is an endangered sheep breed from southern France. It came from Algerian sheep and arrived in France in the 18th century, probably through Spain. The breed is medium-fine wool with white fleece and red head and legs.
Males weigh about 75–100 kg and stand 75–90 cm tall; females weigh about 55–65 kg and stand 65–75 cm.
They are very hardy and can live outside all year, tolerating heat over 40°C and also doing well in cold conditions with little food. The main use is meat; lamb makes about 95% of income. Lambs are usually sold light, around 28–30 kg; heavier lambs are fattier and less desirable. Wool provides the remaining income. They used to be milked for cheese, but this is now uncommon. Rouge du Roussillon flocks are mostly sedentary and graze on crop leftovers from October to March, often alongside Lacaune sheep.
The breed is endangered mainly because livestock farming has declined in its homeland. Worldwide there are about 5,900 breeding females left. There have been improvements in recent years. In 1974 the population was around 750 ewes and 25 rams. National protection began in 1981, and a conservation program ran from 1994 to 2001 in the Grand Causses regional park in France.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:36 (CET).