The Canadian Arcott sheep is a breed of domestic sheep which is raised mainly for meat production. As the name suggests, the breed was developed and is native to Canada.
And the later half of it’s name is an acronym for the Animal Research Center in Ottawa. The breed was developed in the Animal Research Center in Ottawa with the Rideau Arcott and the Outaouais Arcott.
The Canadian Arcott sheep breed was actually a result of a crossbreeding program of Romnelet (6%), North Country Cheviot (7%), Leicester (14%), Ile de France (28%) and Suffolk (37%).
And the remaining 8 percent was contributed from Shropshire, Lincoln, Corriedale, East Friesian, Finnsheep and Southdown Dorset. Read some more information about this breed below.
Canadian Arcott Sheep Characteristics
The Canadian Arcott sheep are medium to large sized animals. They are mainly white in color with white or mottled faces. Their faces are free of winkles and wool.
Their fleece is soft and lustrous and is of medium grade. Their legs are heavily muscled, and tail is long and narrow that is covered with wool.
Average live body weight of the mature ewes is between 75 and 95 kg. And the mature ram’s average live body weight vary from 80 to 100 kg. Photo from wool.ca and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
The Canadian Arcott sheep is a meat sheep breed. It is raised primarily for meat production.
Special Notes
The Canadian Arcott sheep are hardy animals, and they are well adapted to their native climates. They are able to adapt to pasture or confinement systems easily.
The breed was actually developed as a meat sheep breed, and these animals exhibit strong meat characteristics.
The lambs grow relatively faster and produce excellent carcass meat and reach a market weight of 37 kg at their 118 days of age.
The Canadian Arcott ewes reach maturity within their 230 days of age when they reach approximately 49 kg. The ewes lamb at 8 month intervals in February and October.
Their average gestation length is generally 147 days, and about 65 percent of ewes produce multiple births.
The Canadian Arcott rams are used in many breeding programs for improving the meat characteristics of other sheep breeds.
However, review full breed profile of this breed in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Canadian Arcott |
| Other Names | None |
| Breed Purpose | Mainly meat |
| Special Notes | Very hardy and strong animals, well adapted to their native climates, able to adapt to pasture or confinement systems easily, grow relatively faster and produce excellent carcass, ewes are excellent mothers, rams are often used in many breeding programs for improving the meat characteristics of other breeds of domestic sheep, today raised mainly for meat production |
| Breed Size | Medium to large |
| Weight | Mature ram’s live body weight is between 80 and 100 kg, and the mature ewe’s average live body weight vary from 75 to 95 kg |
| Horns | No |
| Climate Tolerance | Native climates |
| Color | White |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | Canada |
