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Manech
Tete Noire and Manech Tete Rousse
French
EFABIS Data1
EFABIS Data2
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International Name |
Manech Tete |
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Local Name |
Manech Tete |
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Location |
Pyrenees and Sud-Ouest |
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Breeding females
(year) |
275.000 |
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Trend of population size |
Decreasing |
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Flock book established |
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Origin – history
The origins of the
Manech are now lost: they have always had a presence in the western
Pyrenees.
Breed description
The Manech are
milking sheep of the Pyrenees (Atlantiques). The two very hardy
breeds are well adapted to high grazing lands and to extreme
variations in temperature. For the Manech Tete Noire, the seasonal
migration every summer facilitates the economic survival of many
very small farms. 100% of each breed’s ewes are pure-bred. The ewes
need little attention, which permits a heavy stocking rate per
hectare, and they are good milkers, easy to milk and suitable for
out of season breeding. Lambings take place from November to April,
and lambs weaned at the age of 1 month are appreciated for
celebration meals such as Easter. Milk production starts after
weaning at 35 days of age, and is all is used in the production of
pressed cheeses, under the label of origin "Ossau-Iraty".
The Manech Tete Noire has a black head and feet with both sexes
having strongly curled horns. They have good fleece coverage, with
the legs not covered. The mature rams weigh 75kg, and the ewes weigh
50kg. The Manech Tete Rousse has red head and feet, only the male
can be horned. The mature rams weigh 70kg, and the ewes weigh 45kg.
Conservation activities
First established
in 1975, the selective breeding plan for the milking breeds allows
stockbreeders to achieve levels of productivity that fully justify
such livestock farming in these difficult areas. This plan uses the
monitoring of milk and widespread use of artificial insemination in
selective breeding flocks. A breeding centre situated at Ordiarp
(Pyrenees-Atlantiques), where every year 200 young rams Manech Tete
Rousse and 50 Manech Tete Noire from planned matings are assembled.
Among these, 130 Manech Tete Rousse and 30 Manech Tete Noire are
tested on the milk output (quantity and now also composition) of
their female offspring in the farms of the selection nucleus. The
best of these are used in artificial insemination and as priority in
planned matings with the 5 000 ram dams in Manech Tete Rousse and 15
00 ram dams in Manech Tete Noire, to produce the new generation of
males. The selection scheme has so far achieved an annual genetic
progress of 2,6 and 4 litres for the Manech Tete Noire and Manech
Tete Rousse respectively.
Contact: UPRA
DES RACES OVINES LAITIERES DES PYRENEES
Quartier Ahetzia 64 130
Ordiarp - France
Tel : +33 (0)5 59 28 19 90
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