Babydolls in our flock were imported from Australia in 2014 -they are purebred babydoll miniature sheep, a very rare breed. "World Famous in NZ" due to Yealands Winery in Marlborough using them instead of lawnmowers, in order to reduce emissions: http://www.babydollwines.co.nz/pages/baby-doll/meet-babydolls
Our flock was imported from the same Aussie breeder as Yealands flock. These lovely sheep
are NOT runts or stunted sheep, nor sheep bred down for size; they are the original "Olde English" Southdowns. They have been named Babydoll Southdowns, to distinguish between these "original type" of smaller Southdown and the "modern" larger Southdown that is widely bred throughout Australia and NZ today. The Babydoll Southdown sheep is recognised as one of the oldest Downs breeds that originated in the United Kingdom. Their ancestors are believed to have been grazing the short sweet herbage of the Downs when William of Normandy set foot on English soil at Pevensy. Babydolls can be different colours ranging from off white to black. Although, these sheep are quite rare in Australia and NZ and the main colour found to date is an off white to cinnamon colour with dark brown points and legs. Their woolly faces and a permanent smile have given them the nick name of "Teddy Bear" sheep. Their temperament is gentle, (sometimes even docile), friendly and curious. The Babydolls have been used widely throughout the US and UK to eat the undergrowth in vineyards and orchards alike. They are great lawn mowers and rarely go out of their way to damage growth on trees. Due to their stocky build and can mature between 17" to 24" (42.5cm to 60cm) at the shoulders, they are limited to how far they can reach the limbs on trees. Babydolls were the original meat sheep and their wool used for craft purposes. There almost square stature gives them a firm foot hold on the ground and are fairly robust for such a small animal.
