Sheep, Karakul breed
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About this section
The Karakul is a pelt breed developed in the Bukhara oasis. Its value lies not in meat but in the skins of lambs taken in their first days of life, which carry the tight curl known as karakul. Adults are small, with rams at 60 to 70 kg and ewes at 45 to 50 kg, yet the breed thrives on semi-desert and saline range where other sheep do not hold out. Ewes are milked once the lambs are off, and the milk goes into brined cheese and dried curd. The fleece is coarse carpet wool. Buyers come for different reasons: breeding stock for pelt production, milk, or a hardy maternal base for a flock. In a listing the age, the origin and the purpose of the animal say more than the weight does. Flocks live on very little, but water and salt supplements are not optional on saline ground.
What exactly is karakul?
It is the skin of a lamb taken in the first days of life, valued for its dense curl. The breed was created for it, and the pattern of the curl sets the price, graded by a specialist.
How much does a Karakul sheep weigh?
Rams are usually 60 to 70 kg and ewes 45 to 50 kg, noticeably lighter than fat-tailed types. That is why Karakul is seldom bought for a meat feeding operation.
Where is the breed kept in Uzbekistan?
Mainly on semi-desert and saline pasture, above all in the Bukhara, Navoi and Kashkadarya regions. The breed was selected for exactly that kind of ground.
Is the milk used as well?
Yes. Ewes are milked after the lambs are weaned, and the milk goes into brined cheese and dried curd balls. It is the second source of income after the pelts.