American Tunis
Endangered American fat-tailed sheep from Tunisian stock.
The American Tunis, also known simply as the Tunis, is a rare American breed of fat-tailed sheep kept mainly for meat. Its origins trace back to Tunisian Barbarin sheep sent from Tunisia to the United States in 1799.
In that year, the Bey of Tunis, Hammuda ibn Ali, gifted ten Barbarin sheep to George Washington. Only two survived the journey, arriving at Richard Peters’ Belmont estate in Pennsylvania. Peters loaned his Tunis rams for breeding, and the breed slowly spread. It attracted considerable attention in its time, mentioned in the writings of John Adams, George Washington Custis, Thomas Jefferson, and later Charles Roundtree, who served as secretary of the American Tunis Sheep Breeders Association in the early 1900s. The Tunis became the leading meat sheep in the Mid-Atlantic and Upper South, but nearly vanished during the American Civil War. After the war, it was mostly raised in New England and the Great Lakes region. In the late 1800s, some sheep were moved to Indiana, where they were crossbred with Southdown stock. A formal breeders’ association was established in 1896.
Today, the Livestock Conservancy lists the Tunis as a “watch” breed, and it has been added to the Slow Food Ark of Taste.
Quick Facts
- Country
- United States
- Standard
- [https: · web.archive.org/web/20070523230239/http: · www.tunissheep.org/standard.htm National Tunis Sheep Registry]
- Use
- Meat, wool
- Maleweight
- 91 kgdad
- Femaleweight
- 66 kgdad
- Horns
- Both sexes polled (hornless)
- Facecolor
- Red
- Woolcolor
- White
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In 1799, the Bey of Tunis, Hammuda ibn Ali, sent ten Tunisian Barbarin sheep as a gift to George Washington. Only two reached the Belmont estate of Richard Peters in Pennsylvania. Peters lent his Tunis rams for breeding, and the breed gradually spread. The Tunis was much written about and is documented in the writings of John Adams, George Washington Custis, Thomas Jefferson, and later Charles Roundtree, who in the early twentieth century was secretary of the American Tunis Sheep Breeders Association.
Reader's Guide
The Tunis became the principal meat breed of the Mid-Atlantic and Upper South regions but virtually disappeared during the American Civil War. After the war, it was raised mostly in New England and the Great Lakes region. In the late nineteenth century some were moved to Indiana, where cross-breeding with Southdown stock occurred. A breeders' association was constituted in 1896. The breed is listed as 'watch' on the watchlist of the Livestock Conservancy and has been added to the Slow Food Ark of Taste, highlighting its historical and genetic significance as a heritage meat breed.
Did You Know?
- The breed derives from Tunisian Barbarin sheep imported to the United States in 1799.
- Two of ten sheep sent as a gift to George Washington reached Richard Peters's estate in Pennsylvania.
- The American Tunis Sheep Breeders Association was constituted in 1896.
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