Rideau Arcott
Encyclopedia
The Rideau Arcott is a breed of domestic sheep
native to Canada. One of only a few livestock breeds native to the country, the Rideau
name is a common one in Ottawa. The latter half of its name is an acronym for the Animal Research Centre in Ottawa where it was developed along with the Canadian Arcott
.
One of only a few livestock breeds developed in Canada, the Rideau is a synthesis of many different breeds, but it primarily the product of Finnsheep
, Suffolk, East Friesian
, Shropshire, and Dorset Horn. The research flock was closed in 1974, and the breed was distributed to shepherds beginning in 1988. The Rideau Arcott today is a maternal breed, with twins and triplets the norm. Crossbreeding with Rideau rams is said to quickly increase lambing rates to 180% or more.
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
native to Canada. One of only a few livestock breeds native to the country, the Rideau
Rideau
"Rideau" which means curtain in the French language is a popular name for geographical features and organizations in the Ottawa, Canada area. The early French used "Rideau" when naming the Rideau Falls because of their similarity to a curtain....
name is a common one in Ottawa. The latter half of its name is an acronym for the Animal Research Centre in Ottawa where it was developed along with the Canadian Arcott
Canadian Arcott
The Canadian Arcott is a breed of domestic sheep native to Canada. The latter half of its name is an acronym for the Animal Research Centre in Ottawa, where it was developed along with the Rideau Arcott. The Canadian Arcott is a synthesis of many breeds, but primarily the Ile de France and Suffolk....
.
One of only a few livestock breeds developed in Canada, the Rideau is a synthesis of many different breeds, but it primarily the product of Finnsheep
Finnsheep
The Finnish Landrace or Finnsheep is a breed of domestic sheep which has a high incidence of multiple births – it is common for a ewe to have three, four, or even five lambs at once. In North America there have been several instances of births of seven lambs, and the record in Finland is nine...
, Suffolk, East Friesian
East Friesian
The East Friesian is a breed of dairy sheep originating from East Frisia in northern Germany. It is either the best or one of the best sheep breeds in terms of milk yield per ewe....
, Shropshire, and Dorset Horn. The research flock was closed in 1974, and the breed was distributed to shepherds beginning in 1988. The Rideau Arcott today is a maternal breed, with twins and triplets the norm. Crossbreeding with Rideau rams is said to quickly increase lambing rates to 180% or more.