List of sheep breeds
Domestic sheep breeds -- A
Table:
Name

Picture

Alternative name

Origin

Purpose

Acıpayam

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---

Turkey

Meat, wool[1]

Adal

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---

Ethiopia[2]

Meat[2]

Africana

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Camura, Colombian Wooless, Pelona, Red African, Rojo Africana, West African[3]

Colombia[3]

Meat[3]

Afrikaner

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Cape fat tail

South Africa

Meat, pelts honed

Afrino

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---

South Africa

Meat, wool, crossbreeding

Alai

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---

Kyrgyzstan[4]

Meat, wool[4]

Alcarreña

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---

Spain[5]

Meat[5]

Algarve Churro

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---

Portugal[6]

Meat[7]

Alpines Steinschaf

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Germany[8]

Meat, wool, vegetation management[8]

Altay

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---

China[9]

Meat[10]

American Blackbelly

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---

United States

Trophy hunting

Ancon

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Otter sheep[11]

United States[11]

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Appenninica

Appenninica, Bariscianese, Chietina Varzese, Perugina del piano[12]

Italy[12]

Meat[12]

Arabi

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---

Iran, Iraq[13]

Meat[13]

Arkhar-Merino

---

---

Kazakhstan

Wool

Afghan Arabi[note 1]

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---

Afghanistan[14]

Meat[14]

Algerian sheep[note 1]

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Ouled Jellal, Western Thin-tailed[15]

Algeria[15]

Meat[16]

Arapawa

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New Zealand[17]

Wool[18]

Armenian Semicoarsewool

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Armyanskaya Polugrubosherstnaya[19]

Armenia[19]

Meat, milk[19]

Askanian

Askaniysky[20]

Ukraine[20]

Wool[20]

Based on the given table along with the context paragraphs listed at the end.

Solve the question: What is the origin of the breed that are a mix of Awassi , Ost Fries and Daglic breeds ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

The Acıpayam is a breed of domesticated sheep that originated in Turkey . They are a dual-purpose breed ( wool and meat ) . They are a mix of Awassi , Ost Fries and Daglic breeds .
Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye [ ˈtyɾcije ] ) , officially the Republic of Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ ˈtyɾcije dʒumˈhuːɾijeti ] ( listen ) ) , is a transcontinental country located mostly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe . East Thrace , the part of Turkey in Europe , is separated from Anatolia by the Sea of Marmara , the Bosporus and the Dardanelles ( collectively called the Turkish Straits ) . Istanbul , mostly located on the European side , is the largest city in the country while Ankara is the capital . Turkey is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest , the Black Sea to its north , Georgia to its northeast , Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east , Iraq and Syria to its southeast , the Mediterranean Sea to its south , and the Aegean Sea to its west . Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the country 's citizens identify as Turkish , while Kurds are the largest minority at anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of the population . At various points in its history , the region has been inhabited by diverse civilisations including the Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians , and Armenians . Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolises the start and foundation of Turkey . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small principalities called beyliks . Beginning in the late 13th century , the Ottomans started uniting beyliks and conquering the Balkans . After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 , Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I . During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa and became a world power .
Lamb , hogget , and mutton , generically sheep meat , are the meat of domestic sheep , Ovis aries . A sheep in its first year is a lamb and its meat is also lamb . A sheep in its second year and its meat are hogget . Older sheep meat is mutton . Generally , hogget and sheep meat are not used by consumers outside New Zealand and Australia , only the industry . In South Asian , Australian , and Jamaican cuisine , mutton usually means goat meat . Lamb is the most expensive of the three types and in recent decades sheep meat is increasingly only retailed as lamb , sometimes stretching the accepted distinctions given above . The stronger-tasting mutton is now hard to find in many areas , despite the efforts of the Mutton Renaissance Campaign in the UK . In Australia , the term prime lamb is often used to refer to lambs raised for meat . Other languages , for example French , Spanish , Italian and Arabic , make similar or even more detailed , distinctions among sheep meats by age and sometimes by sex and diet , though these languages do not always use different words to refer to the animal and its meat - for example , lechazo in Spanish refers to meat from milk-fed ( unweaned ) lambs .
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other animals , including cashmere and mohair from goats , qiviut from muskoxen , from hide and fur clothing from bison , angora from rabbits , and other types of wool from camelids ; additionally , the Highland and the Mangalica breeds of cattle and swine , respectively , possess woolly coats . Wool consists of protein together with a small percentage of lipids . In this regard it is chemically quite distinct from the more dominant textile , cotton , which is mainly cellulose .
Adal is a domesticated breed of sheep from Ethiopia . They are bred mostly for their meat .
Ethiopia ( /ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə/ ; Amharic : ኢትዮጵያ , ʾĪtyōṗṗyā , listen ( help·info ) , Tigrinya : ኢትዮጵያ , Oromo : Itiyoophiyaa , Somali : Itoobiya , Afar : Itiyoophiyaa ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia , is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north , Djibouti to the northeast , Somalia , and the de facto state of Somaliland to the east , Kenya to the south , South Sudan to the west and Sudan to the northwest . With over 109 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and the second-most populous nation on the African continent with a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres ( 420,000 sq mi ) . Its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa , which lies a few miles west of the East African Rift that splits the country into the Nubian and Somali tectonic plates . Some of the oldest skeletal evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BCE , Ethiopia 's governmental system was a monarchy for most of its history . Oral literature tells that the monarchy was founded by the Solomonic dynasty of the Queen of Sheba , under its first king , Menelik I . In the first centuries , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . During the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , Ethiopia and Liberia were two nations that preserved their sovereignty from long-term colonisation by a European colonial power and many newly-independent nations on the continent subsequently adopted its flag colours . However , the country was later occupied by Italy in 1936 and became Italian Ethiopia ( part of Italian East Africa ) until it was liberated during World War II .
Africana is a breed of domesticated sheep ( also known as Pelona , Camuro or Camura , Red African , Rojo Africana , Colombian Wooless , West African ) found in Colombia and Venezuela . This breed is polled and is about the same size as the Pelibüey . The Africana is raised for their meat and is classified as a hair breed .
Colombia ( /kəˈlʌmbiə/ ( listen ) kə-LUM-bee-ə , /-ˈlɒm-/ -⁠LOM- ; Spanish : [ koˈlombja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Colombia ( Spanish : República de Colombia ( help·info ) ) , [ Note 1 ] is a country largely situated in the north of South America , with land and territories in North America . Colombia is bounded on the north by the Caribbean Sea , the northwest by Panama , the south by both Ecuador and Peru , the east by Venezuela , the southeast by Brazil , and the west by the Pacific . It comprises thirty-two departments , with the capital in Bogotá . Colombia is ethnically and linguistically diverse , with its rich cultural heritage reflecting influences by various Amerindian civilizations , European settlement , forced African labor , and immigration from Europe and the greater Middle East . Urban centres are concentrated in the Andean highlands and the Caribbean coast . Colombia has been inhabited by various American Indian peoples since at least 12,000 BCE , including the Muisca , Quimbaya , and the Tairona . Spaniards arrived in 1499 and by the mid-16th century annexed part of the region , establishing the New Kingdom of Granada , with Santafé de Bogotá as its capital . Independence from Spain was achieved in 1819 , but by 1830 the Gran Colombia Federation was dissolved , with what is now Colombia and Panama emerging as the Republic of New Granada . The new sovereign state experimented with federalism as the Granadine Confederation ( 1858 ) , and then the United States of Colombia ( 1863 ) , before the Republic of Colombia was finally declared in 1886 . Panama seceded in 1903 , leading to Colombia 's present borders . Beginning in the 1960s , the country suffered from an asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict and political violence , both of which escalated in the 1990s . Since 2005 , there has been significant improvement in security , stability , and rule of law .
The Afrikaner sheep ( also known as Cape fat tail ) is a breed of fat tailed , hair sheep indigenous to South Africa .
South Africa , officially the Republic of South Africa ( RSA ) , is the southernmost country in Africa . It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres ( 1,739 mi ) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans ; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia , Botswana , and Zimbabwe ; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini ( Swaziland ) ; and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho . South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 24th-largest country in the world by land area and , with over 58 million people , is also the world 's 24th-most populous nation . It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere . About 80 percent of South Africans are of Bantu ancestry , divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages , nine of which have official status . The remaining population consists of Africa 's largest communities of European , Asian ( Indian ) , and multiracial ( Coloured ) ancestry . South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures , languages , and religions . Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution 's recognition of 11 official languages , which is the fourth-highest number in the world . Two of these languages are of European origin : Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most coloured and white South Africans ; English reflects the legacy of British colonialism , and is commonly used in public and commercial life , though it is fourth-ranked as a spoken first language . The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup d'état , and regular elections have been held for almost a century . However , the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994 . During the 20th century , the black majority sought to claim more rights from the dominant white minority , with this struggle playing a large role in the country 's recent history and politics .
The Afrino is a breed of sheep originating from South Africa . It was developed by crossing Ronderib Afrikaner sheep with Merino and South African Mutton Merino ( SAMM ) sheep , and is classified as a Merino breed . The Afrino was developed at the Carnarvon Research Station . It was made using 25% Afrikaner , 25% Merino and 50% SAMM genetics . This allowed scientists to combine the improved wool and carcass traits of the Merino and SAMM with the indigenous Afrikaner breed that was suited to the environmental conditions of South Africa . It is a minor , dual-purpose breed farmed for meat and wool in South Africa . It produces fine wool . The Afrino is also used as a terminal sire in meat production to increase early growth in lambs and reach slaughter weight sooner . It has a relatively low rate of inbreeding compared to other South African breeds .
Alai is a breed of domesticated sheep found in Kyrgyzstan . This breed is a dual purpose breed raised for its meat and wool .
Kyrgyzstan ( /ˌkɜːrɡɪˈstɑːn/ KUR-gih-STAHN ; Kyrgyz : Кыргызстан Kırğızstan Kyrgyz pronunciation : [ qɯrʁɯsˈstɑn ] ) , officially the Kyrgyz Republic ( Kyrgyz : Кыргыз Республикасы , romanized : Kırğız Respublikası ; Russian : Кыргызская Республика , tr . Kyrgyzskaya Respublika ) , and also known as Kirghizia ( Russian : Киргизия [ kʲɪrˈɡʲizʲɪjə ] ) , is a country in Central Asia . Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with mountainous terrain . It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north , Uzbekistan to the west and southwest , Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east . Its capital and largest city is Bishkek . Kyrgyzstan 's recorded history spans over 2,000 years , encompassing a variety of cultures and empires . Although geographically isolated by its highly mountainous terrain , which has helped preserve its ancient culture , Kyrgyzstan has been at the crossroads of several great civilizations as part of the Silk Road and other commercial and cultural routes . Though long inhabited by a succession of independent tribes and clans , Kyrgyzstan has periodically fallen under foreign domination and attained sovereignty as a nation-state only after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 . Since independence , the sovereign state has officially been a unitary parliamentary republic , although it continues to endure ethnic conflicts , revolts , economic troubles , transitional governments and political conflict . Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States , the Eurasian Economic Union , the Collective Security Treaty Organization , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Turkic Council , the Türksoy community and the United Nations . Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country 's six million people , followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians . Kyrgyz is closely related to other Turkic languages , although Russian remains widely spoken and is an official language , a legacy of a century of Russification .
Alcarreña is a domesticated breed of sheep found in Spain . They are bred for their meat . The alcarreña is a member of the entrefino class of sheep .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Algarve Churro is a domesticated breed of sheep in Portugal . Although this breed does grow wool , it is primarily raised for its meat .
Portugal ( Portuguese : [ puɾtuˈɣal ] ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( Portuguese : República Portuguesa [ ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ ] ) , [ note 5 ] is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula , in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe , being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain . Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe and the world , its territory having been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The pre-Celtic people , Iberians , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigoths and Suebi Germanic peoples . After the Muslim conquests of the Iberian Peninsula , most of the territory was part of Al-Andalus until their expulsion . Portugal as a country was established during the early Christian Reconquista . Founded in 868 , the County of Portugal gained prominence after the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 . The Kingdom of Portugal was later proclaimed following the Battle of Ourique in 1139 , and independence from León was recognised by the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 . On 12 December 2017 , the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal . Tracing its origins back to the 12th century , it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers .
The Alpines Steinschaf is a breed of domestic sheep indigenous to the Eastern Alps of Austria and southern Germany . It is used for wool , meat and vegetation management .
Germany ( German : Deutschland , German pronunciation : [ ˈdɔʏtʃlant ] ) , constitutionally the Federal Republic of Germany ( German : Bundesrepublik Deutschland , listen ( help·info ) ) , [ f ] is a country in Central and Western Europe . It borders Denmark to the north , Poland and the Czech Republic to the east , Austria and Switzerland to the south , France to the southwest , and Luxembourg , Belgium , and the Netherlands to the west . Germany includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres ( 137,988 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With 83 million inhabitants , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia , the most populous state lying entirely in Europe , as well as the most populous member state of the European Union . Germany is a very decentralised country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country 's busiest airport . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before AD 100 . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire , the German Confederation was formed in 1815 . The German revolutions of 1848-49 resulted in the Frankfurt Parliament establishing major democratic rights .
Conservation grazing or targeted grazing is the use of semi-feral or domesticated grazing livestock to maintain and increase the biodiversity of natural or semi-natural grasslands , heathlands , wood pasture , wetlands and many other habitats . Conservation grazing is generally less intensive than practices such as prescribed burning , but still needs to be managed to ensure that overgrazing does not occur . The practice has proven to be beneficial in moderation in restoring and maintaining grassland and heathland ecosystems . The optimal level of grazing will depend on the goal of conservation , and different levels of grazing , alongside other conservation practices , can be used to induce the desired results .
Altay is a breed of domesticated sheep originating in the dry , cold mountain basins of China . This breed belongs to the fat-rumped carpet wool type of sheep and the Kazakh group . Although the Altay grows wool , it is raised primarily for the meat .
China ( Chinese : 中国 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó ) , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a country in East Asia and is the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.428 billion in 2017 . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third largest country by area . [ j ] Governed by the Communist Party of China , the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , [ k ] five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . China emerged as one of the world 's first civilizations , in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the semi-mythical Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE . Since then , China has expanded , fractured , and re-unified numerous times . In the 3rd century BCE , the Qin reunited core China and established the first Chinese empire . The succeeding Han dynasty , which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE , saw some of the most advanced technology at that time , including papermaking and the compass , along with agricultural and medical improvements . The invention of gunpowder and movable type in the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) and Northern Song ( 960-1127 ) completed the Four Great Inventions . Tang culture spread widely in Asia , as the new Silk Route brought traders to as far as Mesopotamia and the Horn of Africa . Dynastic rule ended in 1912 with the Xinhai Revolution , when the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the Qing dynasty . China , as a whole , was ravaged by feudal warlordism and Japan during World War II .
The American Blackbelly is a breed of domestic sheep that originated in the United States . The breed was developed in Texas by crossing Barbados blackbelly sheep with Rambouillet sheep and mouflon . This produced a horned animal with a heavier carcase and increased muscle mass compared to the original black bellied breed . American blackbellies are mainly used for trophy hunting .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Ancon sheep ( also called Otter sheep ) are a grouping of domestic sheep with long bodies and very short legs , with the fore-legs being crooked . The term is generally applied to a line of sheep bred from a single affected lamb born in 1791 in Massachusetts , USA . The breed was artificially selected and maintained for its desirable inability to jump over fences . It was allowed to go extinct in 1876 when it was no longer required . The name Ancon has also been applied to other strains of sheep arising from individuals with the same phenotype , such as a Norwegian stock bred from a single individual born in 1919 , and a Texan , USA stock bred from a single individual born in 1962 . These lineages were also allowed to go extinct after scientists no longer needed them for genetic research . Excavations in Leicester , UK have also revealed metacarpals , metatarsals and phalanges characteristic of Ancon sheep that date to approximately AD 1500 , thereby demonstrating that the phenotype has arisen independently at least four times . The unique features of ancon sheep are caused by a recessive dwarf mutation , which often results in crippling . The specific effect of the mutation is to cause chondrodystrophy .
The Appenninica is a modern breed of sheep from the central Apennine mountains of Italy . It is raised principally in Tuscany and Umbria , but also in Abruzzo , Emilia-Romagna , Lazio , the Marche and Campania . The breed was created in the 1970s by cross-breeding and subsequent selection of local breeds such as the Bariscianese , the Casentinese , the Chietina Varzese , the Pagliarola , the Perugina del piano , the Pomarancina , the Senese delle Creti and the Vissana with Bergamasca rams and with the French Ile-de-France and Berrichon du Cher , with the aim of increasing the meat yield . The breed was recognised in 1980 and a herdbook established in 1981 . Although this is a medium-coarse wool breed , it is raised primarily for meat . It has been used in the development of the Laticauda breed in the Campanian Apennines .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Arabi is a domesticed breed of sheep from southwestern Iran , southern Iraq and northeastern Arabia and Egypt . Though it does grow wool , it is primarily raised for meat .
Iran ( Persian : ایران Irān [ ʔiːˈɾɒːn ] ( listen ) ) , also called Persia , and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran ( Persian : جمهوری اسلامی ایران Jomhuri-ye Eslāmi-ye Irān ( listen ) [ dʒomhuːˌɾije eslɒːˌmije ʔiːˈɾɒn ] ) , is a country in Western Asia . With 82 million inhabitants , Iran is the world 's 18th most populous country . Its territory spans 1,648,195 km2 ( 636,372 sq mi ) , making it the second largest country in the Middle East and the 17th largest in the world . Iran is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan , [ a ] to the north by the Caspian Sea , to the northeast by Turkmenistan , to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan , to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman , and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Its central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , give it geostrategic importance . Tehran is the political and economic center of Iran , and the largest and most populous city in Western Asia with more than 8.8 million residents in the city and 15 million in the larger metropolitan area . Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the fourth millennium BCE . It was first unified by the Iranian Medes in the seventh century BCE , and reached its territorial height in the sixth century BCE under Cyrus the Great , whose Achaemenid Empire stretched from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley , one of the largest empires in history . The empire fell to Alexander the Great in the fourth century BCE and was divided into several Hellenistic states . An Iranian rebellion established the Parthian Empire in the third century BCE , which was succeeded in the third century CE by the Sasanian Empire , a leading world power for the next four centuries . Arab Muslims conquered the empire in the seventh century CE , and the subsequent Islamization of Iran led to the decline of the once dominant Zoroastrian religion . Iran 's major contributions to art , philosophy , and science spread throughout the Muslim world and beyond during the Islamic Golden Age .
Iraq ( /ɪˈræk/ , /ɪˈrɑːk/ ( listen ) or /aɪˈræk/ ; Arabic : اَلْعِرَاق , al-ʿirāq ; Kurdish : عێراق Êraq ) , officially the Republic of Iraq ( Arabic : جُمْهُورِيَّة ٱلْعِرَاقِ Jumhūriyyah al-ʿIrāq ; Kurdish : کۆماری عێراق Komarî Êraq ) , is a country in Western Asia , bordered by Turkey to the north , Iran to the east , Kuwait to the southeast , Saudi Arabia to the south , Jordan to the southwest and Syria to the west . The capital , and largest city , is Baghdad . Iraq is home to diverse ethnic groups including Arabs , Kurds , Assyrians , Turkmen , Shabakis , Yazidis , Armenians , Mandeans , Circassians and Kawliya . Around 99% of the country 's 38 million citizens are Muslims , with tiny minorities of Christians , Yarsans , Yezidis and Mandeans also present . The official languages of Iraq are Arabic and Kurdish . Iraq has a coastline measuring 58 km ( 36 miles ) on the northern Persian Gulf and encompasses the Mesopotamian Alluvial Plain , the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range and the eastern part of the Syrian Desert . Two major rivers , the Tigris and Euphrates , run south through Iraq and into the Shatt al-Arab near the Persian Gulf . These rivers provide Iraq with significant amounts of fertile land . The region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers , historically known as Mesopotamia , is often referred to as the cradle of civilisation . It was here that mankind first began to read , write , create laws and live in cities under an organised government - notably Uruk , from which Iraq is derived . The area has been home to successive civilisations since the 6th millennium BC . Iraq was the centre of the Akkadian , Sumerian , Assyrian and Babylonian empires .
The Arkhar-Merino is a sheep breed . This breed was produced by crossbreeding between wild Arkhar rams and Precoce merino ewes in the Kurmektinski research station between 1934 and 1949 in Kazakhstan , then in the Soviet Union . This station is located between Kungei and Zailiiskii mountains in the Alma Ata region . The Arkhar-Merino has a firm and expanded skeleton . It is also bulky with long legs and broad chest . The average staple length is 6.24 to 8.08 cm in different regions of body . The average rate of wool fat is 11.95% . The average fiber diameter is 22.99 in ewes and 23.51 in ram . The greasy fleece weight is about 4.19 kg . In 1994 the Arkhar-Merino sheep was transformed to Arasbaran research station which is attached to the Research Center for Natural Resources and Domestic Animals of East Azerbaijan ( This station is located in the Khodaafarin district ) .
Kazakhstan , [ b ] officially the Republic of Kazakhstan , [ c ] is a transcontinental country largely located in Central Asia with the most western parts of it being located in Eastern Europe . It is the world 's largest landlocked country , and the ninth largest country in the world , with an area of 2,724,900 square kilometres ( 1,052,100 sq mi ) . Kazakhstan is the most dominant nation of Central Asia economically , generating 60% of the region 's GDP , primarily through its oil and gas industry . It also has vast mineral resources . Kazakhstan is officially a democratic , secular , unitary , constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage . Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia , China , Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan , and Turkmenistan , and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea . The terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands , steppe , taiga , rock canyons , hills , deltas , snow-capped mountains , and deserts . Kazakhstan has an estimated 18.3 million people as of 2018 [ update ] . Its population density is among the lowest , at less than 6 people per square kilometre ( 15 people per sq mi ) . Since 1997 and independence , the capital is Nur-Sultan , formerly known as Astana . It was moved from Almaty , the country 's largest city . The territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic groups and empires .
Afghan Arabi is a breed of domesticated sheep found in Afghanistan . They are a member of the fat-rump breeds of sheep . The wool is carpet quality and the Arghan Arabi are raised for their meat .
Afghanistan ( /æfˈɡænɪstæn , æfˈɡɑːnɪstɑːn/ ( listen ) ; Pashto/Dari : افغانستان , Pashto : Afġānistān [ avɣɒnisˈtɒn , ab- ] , [ a ] Dari : Afġānestān [ avɣɒnesˈtɒn ] ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan , is a landlocked country in Asia . Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south ; [ b ] Iran to the west ; Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , and Tajikistan to the north ; and China to the northeast . Occupying 652,000 square kilometers ( 252,000 sq mi ) , it is a mountainous country with plains in the north and southwest . Kabul is the capital and largest city . The population is 32 million , mostly composed of ethnic Pashtuns , Tajiks , Hazaras and Uzbeks . Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic Era , and the country 's strategic location along the Silk Road connected it to the cultures of the Middle East and other parts of Asia . The land has historically been home to various peoples and has witnessed numerous military campaigns , including those by Alexander the Great , Mauryas , Muslim Arabs , Mongols , British , Soviets , and by the United States with allied countries . The land also served as the source from which the Kushans , Hephthalites , Samanids , Saffarids , Ghaznavids , Ghorids , Khaljis , Mughals , Hotaks , Durranis , and others have risen to form major empires . The political history of the modern state of Afghanistan began with the Hotak and Durrani dynasties in the 18th century . In the late 19th century , Afghanistan became a buffer state in the Great Game between British India and the Russian Empire . Its border with British India , the Durand Line , was formed in 1893 but it is not recognized by the Afghan government and it has led to strained relations with Pakistan since the latter 's independence in 1947 . Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 the country was free of foreign influence , eventually becoming a monarchy under Amanullah Khan , until almost 50 years later when Zahir Shah was overthrown and a republic was established .
Algerian Arab sheep ( also called Ouled Jellal and Western Thin-tailed ) is a breed of domesticated sheep found throughout Algeria . This breed does grow a carpet-grade wool , and is raised primarily for meat .
Algeria ( /ælˈdʒɪəriə/ ( listen ) al-JEER-ee-ə ) is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa . The capital and most populous city is Algiers , located in the far north of the country on the Mediterranean coast . With an area of 2,381,741 square kilometres ( 919,595 sq mi ) , Algeria is the tenth-largest country in the world , and the largest in the African Union and Arab World . With an estimated population of over 42 million , it is among the ten most populous states in Africa . Algeria is bordered to the northeast by Tunisia , to the east by Libya , to the west by Morocco , to the southwest by the Western Saharan territory , Mauritania , and Mali , to the southeast by Niger , and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea . It is a semi-presidential republic consisting of 48 provinces and 1,541 communes ( counties ) . Pre-1962 Algeria has known many empires and dynasties , including ancient Numidians , Phoenicians , Carthaginians , Romans , Vandals , Byzantines , Umayyads , Abbasids , Idrisid , Aghlabid , Rustamid , Fatimids , Zirid , Hammadids , Almoravids , Almohads , Zayyanids , Spaniards , Ottomans and , finally , the French colonial empire . Algeria is a regional and middle power . It has the highest human development index of all non-island African countries and one of the largest economies on the continent , based largely on energy exports . Algeria has the 16th largest oil reserves in the world and the second largest in Africa , while it has the ninth largest reserves of natural gas . Sonatrach , the national oil company , is the largest company in Africa , supplying large amounts of natural gas to Europe . Algeria has one of the largest militaries in Africa and the largest defence budget .
The Arapawa Sheep is a breed of feral sheep found primarily on Arapaoa Island in the Marlborough Sounds , New Zealand , where they have probably been isolated since they were introduced in 1867 . Although there are many theories of how the sheep arrived , it is generally accepted that they are descendants of Merino strains from Australia . The New Zealand Rare Breeds Conservation Society classifies this breed as rare . This breed is raised primarily for wool .
New Zealand ( Māori : Aotearoa [ aɔˈtɛaɾɔa ] ) is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean . The country has two main landmasses - the North Island ( Te Ika-a-Māui ) , and the South Island ( Te Waipounamu ) - and around 600 smaller islands . It has a total land area of 268,000 square kilometres ( 103,500 sq mi ) . New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres ( 1,200 mi ) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres ( 600 mi ) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia , Fiji , and Tonga . Because of its remoteness , it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans . During its long period of isolation , New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal , fungal , and plant life . The country 's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks , such as the Southern Alps , owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions . New Zealand 's capital city is Wellington , and its most populous city is Auckland . Sometime between 1250 and 1300 , Polynesians settled in the islands and developed a distinctive Māori culture . In 1642 , Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand . In 1840 , representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi , which declared British sovereignty over the islands . In 1841 , New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire and in 1907 it became a dominion ; it gained full statutory independence in 1947 and the British monarch remained the head of state .
Armenian Semicoarsewool ( also known as Armyanskaya Polugrubosherstnaya in Russian ) is a breed of domesticated sheep found in Armenia . A medium-wool fat-tail breed which is kept for meat and milk production . This breed was developed by crossing Rambouillet and Lincoln with Balbas .
The original native Armenian name for the country was Հայք ( Hayk ) ; however , it is currently rarely used . The contemporary name Հայաստան ( Hayastan ) became popular in the Middle Ages by addition of the Persian suffix -stan ( place ) . [ citation needed ] . However the origins of the name Hayastan trace back to much earlier dates and were first attested in circa 5th century in the works of Agathangelos , Faustus of Byzantium , Ghazar Parpetsi , Koryun , and Sebeos . The name has traditionally been derived from Hayk ( Հայկ ) , the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and a great-great-grandson of Noah , who , according to the 5th-century AD author Moses of Chorene ( Movsis Khorenatsi ) , defeated the Babylonian king Bel in 2492 BC and established his nation in the Ararat region . The further origin of the name is uncertain . It is also further postulated that the name Hay comes from one of the two confederated , Hittite vassal states - the Ḫayaša-Azzi ( 1600-1200 BC ) . The exonym Armenia is attested in the Old Persian Behistun Inscription ( 515 BC ) as Armina ( ) . The Ancient Greek terms Ἀρμενία ( Armenía ) and Ἀρμένιοι ( Arménioi , Armenians ) are first mentioned by Hecataeus of Miletus ( c. 550 BC - c. 476 BC ) . Xenophon , a Greek general serving in some of the Persian expeditions , describes many aspects of Armenian village life and hospitality in around 401 BC . Some scholars have linked the name Armenia with the Early Bronze Age state of Armani ( Armanum , Armi ) or the Late Bronze Age state of Arme ( Shupria ) . These connections are inconclusive as it is not known what languages were spoken in these kingdoms .
Milk is a nutrient-rich , white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals . It is the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals ( including humans who are breastfed ) before they are able to digest other types of food . Early-lactation milk contains colostrum , which carries the mother 's antibodies to its young and can reduce the risk of many diseases . It contains many other nutrients including protein and lactose . Interspecies consumption of milk is not uncommon , particularly among humans , many of whom consume the milk of other mammals . As an agricultural product , milk , also called dairy milk , is extracted from farm animals during or soon after pregnancy . Dairy farms produced about 730 million tonnes of milk in 2011 , from 260 million dairy cows . India is the world 's largest producer of milk , and is the leading exporter of skimmed milk powder , yet it exports few other milk products . The ever-increasing rise in domestic demand for dairy products and a large demand-supply gap could lead to India being a net importer of dairy products in the future . New Zealand , Germany and the Netherlands are the largest exporters of milk products . China and Russia were the world 's largest importers of milk and milk products until 2016 when both countries became self-sufficient , contributing to a worldwide glut of milk . Throughout the world , more than six billion people consume milk and milk products .
Askanian ( Ukrainian : Асканійський , romanized : Askaniysky , full name : Ukrainian : Асканійська тонкорунна вівця ) is a breed of domesticated sheep found in Ukraine . It is a fine-wool breed bred for its wool . It was developed by crossing American Rambouillet with Merinos in the early 1900s .
Ukraine ( Ukrainian : Україна , romanized : Ukrayina , pronounced [ ʊkrɐˈjinɐ ] ( listen ) ) is a country in Eastern Europe . It is bordered by Russia to the north-east ; Belarus to the north ; Poland , Slovakia and Hungary to the west ; and Romania , Moldova , and the Black Sea to the south . Ukraine is currently in a territorial dispute with Russia over the Crimean Peninsula , which Russia annexed in 2014 . Including Crimea , Ukraine has an area of 603,628 km2 ( 233,062 sq mi ) , making it both the largest country entirely within Europe and the 46th largest country in the world . Excluding Crimea , Ukraine has a population of about 42 million , making it the 32nd most populous country in the world . Its capital and largest city is Kiev . Ukrainian is the official language and its alphabet is Cyrillic . The dominant religion in the country is Eastern Orthodoxy . The territory of modern Ukraine has been inhabited since 32,000 BC . During the Middle Ages , the area was a key centre of East Slavic culture , with the powerful state of Kievan Rus ' forming the basis of Ukrainian identity . Following its fragmentation in the 13th century , the territory was contested , ruled and divided by a variety of powers , including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , Austria-Hungary , the Ottoman Empire and Russia . A Cossack republic emerged and prospered during the 17th and 18th centuries , but its territory was eventually split between Poland and the Russian Empire .