Turkish Karakul Sheep

In this photo, both Rosie (your left) and Suri (your right are heading out to the pasture after being shorn.  It is a good photo of the fat tails.  Photo taken 4/18/08.  In the photo on your right both Suri and Rosie are headed back to the water.

Karakul sheep are different from most American breeds of sheep.  They have long floppy ears and have often been mistaken for goats.  

Karakul sheep have the classic looking large, broad, flat tails and are often called fat tails.  This broad-tailed sheep is characterized by the deposit of fat at the base of the tail instead of throughout the body.  A highly valued cuisine of Central Asia, this fat is distinctive in texture and flavor.

The photo on your left shows Suri's fat tail after being shorn.  The photo on your right shows Suri shorn and Rosie waiting to be shorn.  Until shorn it was hard to see the fat tails due to the dense fleece.  Photos taken 4/18/08.

While quite rare in this country, they are thought to be one of the oldest breeds of domesticated sheep in the world as discovered in archeological carvings in ancient Babylonian temples.   These sheep are still traditionally used for meat, milk, and their wool in their native countries of Turkey & Afghanistan. Traditional Turkish hand woven and dyed carpets last for generations and still bring top-of-the-line prices.

Karakul's are noted for their lustrous, silky pelts of wool.  The wools have been used in coats, jackets, saddle blankets, wall hangings, hats, and even as an organic alternative to fiberglass insulation.  Many of the finest Persian rugs and carpets are perfect examples of the beauty and versatility of the Karakul fleece.

Examples of handcrafted Shepherd's Rugs.  These rugs are braided wool from Karakul roving on your left and Shetland roving on your right.  Photo 4/4/08.  

The oval Karakul rug on the left is made up of light gray, medium gray, and black, plus gray blended with intensely dyed green.  The rug is then framed in black.   This rug will last a lifetime as Karakul wool is very durable.

The Shetland rug on your right is made entirely of natural colors:  white, silver, gray, medium brown, and dark brown.  Plus a reddish Shetland.  This rug is very soft but well-felted, with a smooth, soft feel.     

What drew me to the Karakul breed of sheep is their magnificent fleece.  It is classified as the strongest of the carpet wools and as such drew my interest since I love making rugs.  Karakul fleeces are silky and we love the natural blacks, grays, cream/white and brown. 

Our Primitive Turkish Karakul's are from some of the rarest bloodlines in the country.  We are committed to the preservation of this threatened  breed of sheep.  

                                            Photos of Letty Klein's Karakul herd - 4/4/08.  

We are fortunate that Letty lives so close to us in Michigan.  Letty & my husband Ed both worked for Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, MI.  They know each other very well through the Upjohn Emergency Squad.         

Letty is one of the authors of The Shepherd's Rug.  She has tended sheep for over 26 years, is a judge at the shows, holds a board position with the Michigan Sheep Breeders Assn., and holds workshops all over the country.

    Misty Acres Kennel

         e-mail:  edandcharluthy@yahoo.com

Chicago,IL -  Phone  (815)344-3716

     Bloomingdale, MI - Farm/Kennel -  Phone (269)521-6470

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