The Jacob Sheep Story

Jacob Sheep are an ancient domesticated breed of sheep. Jacobs have been bred in England in their present form for over 350 years. But their historical antecedents may go back, as some people believe, to the Old Testament, to the spotted sheep of Jacob, father of the twelve Hebrew patriarchs -- the leaders of the twelve tribes.

In what is now Syria, young Jacob worked for his uncle Laban -- his wage being that he was given all the spotted animals. Jacob placed spotted branches around nearby watering holes, believing that this would cause the ewes to conceive spotted lambs. In a dream, God instructed Jacob, with perhaps the more sound advice to breed only spotted rams. Jacob created an almost entirely spotted flock in what must be one of the earliest documented examples of selective breeding.

Jacob Sheep came to the United States via Britain, in the early 1900's, for use in zoos and animal parks. Greater numbers began to be imported in the 1950's and 1960's. By the late 1980's, the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association was established. Along with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and the Jacob Sheep Conservancy, the JSBA has been instrumental in establishing this rare breed in the United States. In fact, during the 1970's the breed almost became instinct in its home of Britain. It was, ironically, American Jacobs that helped restore the breed there.

So why raise Jacobs? Well, first, there is the story and lineage, whether actual or wistful, with that first flock of documented spotted sheep in the Old Testament. There is the naturally colored fleece, prized by hand spinners and weavers. And then there are those horns -- sometimes two, sometimes four, and sometimes even six. Like most animals that have been spared "breeding up", they retain their survival characteristics, lamb easily, are generally resistant to parasites, and are well adapted. In addition, they recently placed high in a taste test of many of the heritage sheep breeds. Jacob Sheep are a versatile, unique breed, which is a distinct pleasure to observe and raise here at Agarita Creek Farms.