Meat
East Friesian
C tier
East Friesian dairy sheep from northern Germany and the Netherlands are the highest-yielding milk sheep globally, with a distinctive bare “rat tail” and large frame for a dairy type. Their role in meat systems is mainly as a crossing parent that lifts milk for twin lambs rather than pure terminal carcass quality. East Friesian-cross lambs grow quickly on abundant milk and can finish to useful weights with a mild, pale meat. Pure dairy lambs are leaner and rangier; they shine in young-spring dishes and light stews. Adult cull ewes need long, moist cooking to tenderise.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Marshland farmers of East Frisia selected sheep for high milk to feed large litters and household cheese.
Herd books and milk recording professionalised East Friesian dairy breeding.
Imports and semen sales expanded dairy-sheep enterprises and maternal composites in North America.
Crossbreeding programmes used East Friesian milk traits in commercial lamb-dam lines worldwide.