The Columbia is one of the first breeds of

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...

developed in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. The product of

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...

and university research, it was intended to be an improved breed adapted for the Western ranges of the country (where the majority of sheep raising takes place). Beginning in 1912 in

Laramie, Wyoming Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was estimated 32,711 in 2019, making it the third-largest city in Wyoming after Cheyenne and Casper. Located on the Laramie River in southeaster ...

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

rams were crossed with

Rambouillet Rambouillet (, , ) is a subprefecture of the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region of France. It is located beyond the outskirts of Paris, southwest of its centre. In 2018, the commune had a population of 26,933. Rambouillet lie ...

ewes. In 1918, the foundation flock was moved to the

U.S. Sheep Experiment Station The U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES) is an agricultural experiment station focusing on domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') which is run by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. Its stated mission is "...to ...

near

Dubois, Idaho Dubois (, ) is a city in Clark County, Idaho, United States. The population was 511 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Clark County. The city was named in 1892 for Fred Dubois (1851−1930), a prominent politician in Idaho's ...

, for further refinement. Today's Columbia is a popular breed, with heavy, white fleeces and good growth characteristics. It is one of the larger breeds, and is often used for cross breeding in commercial western flocks.

Characteristics

Adult rams weigh between , while females weigh between . An average fleece from a ewe weighs from , with a yield of 45 to 55%. The staple length of the

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. ...

ranges from . The wool is classified as medium wool with a spin count of 50s to 60s. The wool varies from 31.0 to 24.0 microns.

References

External links

Columbia Sheep Breeders Association
Sheep breeds originating in the United States Sheep breeds {{sheep-stub