THE SHEEP IN EGYPT AND SOUTHERN 

 PALESTINE 



History 



1 1 is apparently doubtful whether the sheep is indigenous to 

 Palestine and Egypt, nevertheless sheep history in these climes 

 dates back many centuries. There are several Biblical refer- 

 ences to sheep in Palestine, and in Egypt a species of sheep 

 existed under the early dynasties, but appears to have become 

 extinct about the Twelfth Dynasty, 2466 B.C. 



The Breeds 



There are about eight breeds of importance throughout 

 Egypt and Southern Palestine. Some by cross-breeding are 

 of recent evolution, and considered fixed types. Some sheep 

 are wholly brown or black or white ; in other cases there are 

 breeds and crosses for the most part white, but with black or 

 brown heads and lower limbs and patches of colour on the 

 body. There appears to be no set down points as to what a 

 particular breed should conform with to meet the requirements 

 of purity and fixity of type. 



The most important breeds are : — 



Saidi Sheep 



A hornless breed, generally all black. Wool coarse and 

 long. Sheep belongs to the district south of Assiut (Upper 

 Egypt). Being a comparatively heavy wool producer, this 

 breed cannot withstand hardships like the lighter-woolled 

 breeds, and it is more profitably farmed on the irrigation 

 areas. 



Ebeidi Sheep 



Another hornless breed, white in colour, and carrying what 

 we would call a medium quality crossbred wool. The breed 



