Babydoll Southdown Sheep

What exactly is a Babydoll Southdown?

Babydolls are a heritage breed of Sheep. Originally from the south downs of Sussex, England, the earliest traceable Southdown in Australia dates back to the 1820s. The original southdown was a small statured, heavy set, prized sheep.

However, in the 1950s the popularity of the Southdown began to decline and breeders began working towards a longer and taller version which you may be more familiar with as today's modern Southdown Sheep.

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During these times, a small handful of breeders continued to work with British and New Zealand bloodlines of the smaller statured sheep and so thankfully the "Babydoll" Southdown sheep survived.

In 2016 a new breed standard was created recognising the differences in Babydolls compared to the modern southdown, and by 2021 the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) recognised the Babydoll Southdown as a separate breed and entry into the ASSBA flock register.

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You can find the description of the Babydoll Southdown Sheep on the ASSBA website here.

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Thanks to their short stature and docile temperament, babydolls are well suited to small hobby farmers, pets and for grazing in vineyards and orchards. The height of a babydoll should be between 45cm and 61cm. Their short height reduces the risk of grazing on precious leaves and fruit.