Olde English 'Babydoll' Southdown sheep Olde English 'Babydoll' Southdown sheep The Olde English 'Babydoll' Southdown is a breed of sheep developed in the United States to reflect the original type of Southdown brought over to North America. To meet consumer demand in the early 19th century, farmers in the US and UK began breeding Southdowns that could produce larger cuts of meat. This led to a separate line of sheep that were bigger and leggier, and while flocks of the original type remained, their numbers decreased throughout the 1900s. In 1986, Robert Mock set about searching the United States for sheep that fit this original
Norfolk Horn but dry environments. The breed is long-legged with black faces and legs. Both sexes have horns, although these are larger in the males. At maturity, an ewe weighs about . The breed is described as "flighty" and is likened to goats in their ability to jump over obstacles such as fencing. It was a popular breed in Norfolk until the middle 19th century, when "improved" breeds such as the Leicester and Southdown appeared. Norfolk Horn ewes were mated to Southdown rams to produce high quality meat-producing lambs, and this cross became established as a separate breed, the Suffolk. The Norfolk