Valais Blacknose Breed Standards

Typical Breed Characteristics:  

The characteristics of the Blacknose sheep fall into three areas:

1. General Appearance
2. Conformation
3. Wool

The Valais Blacknose sheep is named for its striking black nose, which extends to the center of the head and surrounds the eyes with characteristic black markings. The ears are black where they meet the head. There are also distinctive black spots on the knees and hocks, and the hoof and ankle area are black, creating the appearance of black boots. Ewes feature a black spot on their tails, while rams do not.

Both females and males display characteristic spiral-shaped horns that curve outward from the head.

Wool is a defining trait of the breed, covering the entire body, head, and legs in a thick, even fleece that highlights the sheep’s sturdy build.

Appearance

Color Features:

• Black nose to the center of the head (Fig. 1)
• Black encompassing the eye area connecting with the black of the nose, no gap (Fig. 2a)
• No brown or gray discoloring (Hot sun exposure is acceptable)

Face mask and ears

• Black ears – black should meet the white of the head (Fig. 2b)
• Black hooves and ankle area (black socks) (Fig. 4b)
• Black spots on knees and hocks (spots can be non-symmetrical) (Fig. 3a & 3b)
• Knee spots need a white line of demarcation between the knee spots and the ankle area. Presence is important, not the size.
• Females are to have a black tail spot. There must be a finger-width gap of white on the visible side of the tail. (Fig. 4a & 4b) 
• For females missing a marking feature, e.g., a knee spot, a point deduction may be applied based on overall conformation and wool.
• Males must not have a tail spot. (Fig. 7b)
• The male scrotum may be black, but the black must not spread upward into the belly area and fleece. Black on the scrotum cannot pass above the scrotum more than 1 cm toward the anus. Belly can be black, just not above the “skirt or Belly Line” (Fig. 7a). 

Spitti (Fig. 5)

Occasionally, a purebred Valais Blacknose may produce offspring with reverse color/marking, referred to as ‘Spitti’ (a name adopted here in the UK from Swiss Blacknose breeders). However, in Switzerland, the ‘Spitti’ may be referred to by different names in the varying villages and areas of Valais. Spitti rams should be castrated and not used for breeding purposes.

Head & Neck:

• Well-proportioned, compact head
• Roman nose, wide mouth, broad forehead

• • **Walking Valais Blacknose Sheep into the show ring
    • **It is highly recommended that handlers hand-walk their Valais Blacknose Sheep or use a collar & lead. Halters are not permitted as they do not fit the Roman nose. Halters pose a safety risk as they may slide down the roman nose and restrict the nostrils/airway. Have exhibitors remove any halters before entering the ring.

• Pronounced, regal head shape in rams. Mature rams often develop a protuberance behind the base of the horn.
• Short, straight, well-muscled neck

Horns (Fig. 6)

• Spiral outward from the head, horizontally away from the cheeks (You should always be able to fit a flat hand comfortably between the horn and cheek)
• Black stripes in the horns are acceptable; no black wool at the base of the horns.
• Male horns are thicker and spiral forward, down, then curl out to the side.
• Female horns are thinner, spiral slightly down, and then curl out to the side.

Chest, Shoulder & Withers:

• Wide, deep, chest area
• Shoulders line naturally with the neck and chest.
• Well-spaced, wide withers
• Rib cage curvature is well-proportioned and rounded.

Back & Loin:

• Long, straight top line
• Wide back and loin

Pelvis, Abdomen & Hindquarters:

• Medium-sized belly with small belly hollows/pits (paralumbar fossa)
• Wide and medium-length pelvis
• Well-muscled hindquarters

Withers (from two years):

• Female: 72 – 78 cm (23.3 - 30.7inches)
• Male: 75 – 83 cm (29.5 - 32.7inches)

Weight (over two years):

• Female: 70 – 90 kg (150 - 200lbs)
• Male: 80 – 125 kg (175 - 275lbs)

Conformation  

Limbs:

• Strong, sure-footed  
• Solid hoof deportment
• Legs are not bandy/bow-legged.
• Legs are not knock-kneed.
• Legs are to be more under the sheep than to the side.

Foundations:

• Slight hock angulation
• Short, strong pasterns (45-degree angle)
• Solid bone structure
• Joints should be straight and sound.

Gait:

• Spacious, sure-footed, and wide-legged
• Doesn’t sway or waver.
• Even and stable movement
• Mobile with ease

Wool

• Fleece in lambs is soft to the touch but becomes coarser as the sheep matures (The Swiss grade approximately equates to 28-38 microns depending on age and gender. Fiber diameter is generally finest in lambs and coarsest in adult males.
• Wool is double-coated.
• Staple length is 10 cm (4 - 6inches) based on six months growth (Recommended to be shorn twice a year. Fleece weight when shorn approx. – Lambs 1-1.5 kg (2.2-3.3lbs) / Ewes 2.5 -3 kg (2.5 - 6.6lbs) / Rams 2.5 – 3 kg (5.5 - 6lbs)– Based on six months growth)
• Fleece is uniformly white and evenly distributed across the whole body.
• Wool on legs is thick and full. Boot wool should be close to the ground.
• Wool on the head is natural and long.
• Some black hairs /fibers are tolerated on the neck area (Females only. In males up to 18 months of age, this should be factored when castrating)

Fig. 7a Black is not allowed above RED line

https://www.fao.org/3/v9384e/v9384e04.htm

Spitti (Multi-Color)

• On occasion, a purebred Valais Blacknose may produce offspring marked in reverse color/markings. This is referred to as a “Spitti” (Swiss Blacknose Breeders). Sheep with a slight extra black are considered overmarked. A Spitti should not be “graded or placed” above a correctly marked sheep unless the conformation is NOT correct on the “correctly marked sheep”.
• Spitti and over-marked sheep should be in a class of their own or in natural-colored wool classes.
• Spitti rams should not be kept for breeding.

Castration Criteria & Reason for Excluding Rams During Grading

Anatomy:

• Short lower jaw or uneven jaw length
• Incisor teeth not in contact or in the correct position with the dental pad, i.e., overbite or underbite, up to 18 months of age
• Weak and/or fallen pasterns
• Stunted growth
• Only one testicle is present.
• Scrotal hernia

Markings on Males:  

• Black body spots on the main body area (Black is allowed below the Red line (Fig. 7a & 7b) on the diagram).
• Black spots under the tail
• Markings missing from knees, hocks, or head

Wool:  

Major flaw in the fleece/wool, i.e.

• Kemp and/or tender fibers (Kemp fibers are short, medullated (hollow) fibers with pointed tips that may be found within fleece.
• Kemp is undesirable in fleece because it does not take up the dye and is coarse, brittle, weak, and ‘prickly. Tender or ‘hunger-fine’ fibers are thinned and break easily and may occur due to malnutrition, disease, and/or scarring.  
• An excessive number of guard hairs (i.e., long, coarse, stiff, outer-coat hairs) may be present. They cause the same difficulties in processing as kemp fibers and are easy to recognize in the fleece because they are typically much longer than the actual wool fibers.)
• Large amounts of felting within the wool
• Mixed-colored wool up to the age of 18 months in rams.    

The information in this guide is a translation of the Swiss Valais Blacknose breed standards provided by the Oberwalliser Schwarznasen Schafzuchtverband (Upper Valais Sheep Breeders’ Association).  Translation has been carried out by Valais Blacknose Society (VBS) members using their own knowledge of the German Language.  Additional clarification has been included based on the knowledge and input from Blacknose breeders in Valais, UK & USA.