The male (ram) is larger than the female (ewe); the female is usually between two thirds and three quarters of the male's size. Selective breeding has produced domestic breeds with horns and without horns, and with or without wool.
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The male (ram) is larger than the female (ewe); the female is usually between two thirds and three quarters of the male's size. Selective breeding has produced domestic breeds with horns and without horns, and with or without wool.
Sources
Approved version OWNER-REVIEW-20261108T084922805 · last approved 8 November 2026
Najdi is a Saudi sheep breed believed to have originated in central Saudi Arabia. It has a black body and a white head and is the largest of the local breeds. Traditionally reared for milk and wool, it is now in demand for meat. Its presence in Jordan has also been reported.
Naemi (Naeimi) is a fat-tailed sheep breed fully adapted to the arid and semiarid conditions of Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf countries. It is generally white, with a dark brown head, ears and neck. Its presence in Jordan has also been reported.
Harri is a Saudi fat-tailed sheep breed with coarse wool, named after the volcanic Harrat region in the northwest of the country. It is widespread in the Sarawat Mountains, Tihamah, the Hejaz plains and Qassim, and is also found in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. Its body and head are predominantly white, the males are hornless, and its twinning rate is high.
Awassi is the most widely distributed sheep breed in the Arabian Peninsula. It is reared in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt. It has a brown face and white skin and is considered Jordan's only indigenous sheep breed.
Sawakni (Sawaknee) is a sheep breed originating in Sudan and imported into Saudi Arabia. It is generally brown.
Arb: a local Saudi sheep breed with a black body, belonging to the fat-tailed sheep; it is genetically distinct from the other Saudi breeds, which may be due to geographic and reproductive isolation.
Rufidi: a local Saudi sheep breed with a white face and white skin, and one of the fat-tailed sheep.
Berberi: a foreign sheep breed introduced into the flocks of Saudi Arabia from Somalia, which in recent years has become a popular choice among Saudi breeders.
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The domestic sheep is a four-legged ruminant with cloven hooves and a body covered with hair or wool depending on the breed. Breeds differ in body size, fleece length and horns, and some individuals may be hornless; differences in colour or fleece do not represent separate species.
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