Tunis Sheep

The Tunis is one of the oldest of the distinct sheep breeds, dating back over 3,000 years. It is a medium-sized meat-type sheep characterized by creamy wool, copper-red colored faces and legs, pendulous ears, and minor fat deposits at the base of the tail. The Tunis is sometimes referred to as the "fat-tailed" or "broad-tailed" sheep.

The Tunis was brought to this country was in 1799 as a gift from the Bey of Tunis, the ruler of Tunisia, Africa, to Judge Richard Peters of Pennsylvania. From Pennsylvania, they spread to Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Thomas Jefferson imported "broad-tailed" sheep and kept them for many years for their mutton and wool-producing attributes. A Tunis ram was used by George Washington to rebuild his flock, which had declined while he was serving as president. The breed would probably be more prevalent today, except that the southern flocks died out during the Civil War.

Sheep are extremely beneficial. Some of the many resources sheep provide include: meat, pelts, wool, manure for gardens, lanolin and fat for soap and candles, and waste wool for insulation.