Other names: kalaallit savaataat, sava.
Origin: Greenland.
The Greenlandic sheep (Greenlandic: kalaallit savaataat or sava, Danish: grønlandsk får) is a breed of domestic sheep. The Greenlandic breed is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, which exhibit a fluke-shaped, naturally short tail. The Greenlandic is a mid-sized breed, generally short-legged and stocky, with a face and legs free of wool. The fleece of the Greenlandic sheep is dual-coated and comes in white as well as a variety of other colours, including a range of browns, greys, and blacks. They exist in both horned and polled strains. Generally left unshorn for the winter, the breed is very cold-hardy. Multiple births are very common in Greenlandic ewes, with a lambing percentage of 150% – 190%.
They are seasonal breeders and come into estrus around October. The breeding season can last up to four months. Rams become mature early and can start breeding as early as five months.
The present Greenlandic sheep are hardy and thrifty. It descends from Faroe and Icelandic sheep, the Spælsau and the Scottish Blackface brought to Greenland by Greenlandic farmers, Greenlandic sheep have been bred since 1906 in a very harsh environment. Consequently, they are quite efficient herbivores. The breed descends from the same stock as the Norwegian Spelsau.