'Cutest sheep in the world' residing in Potomac

Some of the only known Swiss Valais Blacknose sheep in Montana live in Potomac on the ranch of Marin and Brad Hall.

"I was taken with the breed when a coworker showed me their picture," Marin said. "Then my cousin and I were daydreaming about the sheep and the idea got born to develop a small flock."

Margie Chritton from Seeley Lake, Marin's cousin and business partner, thought learning about the sheep business would help her transition from New York City life to rural Montana.

Two foundation ewes were purchased in 2021 from a breeder in Iowa. Today the flock has four lambs and five older sheep.

The Hall's bred and raised Suffolk sheep in the past. Show quality lambs were sold for 4H fair animals and the rest were sold to feedlots.

"The Valais Blacknose sheep are much calmer and friendlier than the Suffolks," Marin said. "They are less aggressive and haven't gotten out or pushed on fences like the Suffolks did."

Called "The Cutest Sheep in the World" by the Valais Blacknose Sheep Society, the breed standard is for black faces, ears, lower legs and under their tail. Both sexes have horns, spiraling out from their heads.

Wool grows in 5-9" locks between twice yearly shearing, the lustrous wool is traditionally used for outerwear, shoes and felting. The average body size is 150-190 pounds for mature ewes and rams with a 5-10 pound fleece. Marin does not have immediate plans to use the wool.

The United States does not allow the importation of sheep because of concerns for disease. A Breed Up Program was designed to create a 97% purebred sheep over five years.

Foundation ewes, usually Scottish Blackface or Gotland breeds, are bred by artificial insemination to purebred Valais Blacknose rams with semen imported from the United Kingdom or New Zealand.

The offspring are 50% Valais, then breed and repeat for the next four years to get to a 97% pure animal. All breeding stock must be DNA tested for registration in the Valais Blacknose Sheep Association of America.

The breeding process is sensitive and requires perfect timing to synchronize the ewe's ovulation in preparation for the laparoscopic insemination procedure, Marin said. Artificially breeding a sheep is an operative procedure requiring anesthetic.

Adding to the complexity there are only two people in Montana who perform the laparoscopic procedure on sheep, Marin said.

Marin needs to take the sheep to Jordan for the procedure, a five hour drive from Potomac. Some people use embryo transfer to breed, resulting in an 100% purebred with the first breeding.

Switzerland is the native home of Valais Blacknose sheep, with over 13,000 in their record books. Importation to Britain and New Zealand began in 2013. They are considered a heritage breed, according to The Valais Blacknose Sheep Society.

References to the breed date back to the year 1400. There are about 200 "purebred" Valais Blacknose sheep in America at this time.

"We are not in this to make money. These are for petting zoos and exotic pets. There is quite a bit of cost involved in obtaining semen and the breeding process," Marin said. "I thought they were super darling and I wanted some for ourselves."