Lacaune

The Lacaune is a domestic sheep breed from southern France, where it supplies most of the milk used in Roquefort cheese. It is a medium-sized animal kept mainly for milk, though breeders have also developed a separate meat line over the years. Among dairy sheep breeds worldwide, the Lacaune is one of the most numerous, and most of the ewes milked in the Roquefort production zone belong to this breed.

Within the breed, two distinct types have developed. The dairy type (lait) is selected for high milk yield and feeds the cheese industry, while the meat type (viande) is bred for growth rate and carcass quality. Both types share the same basic look: a white face, with the head and legs largely free of wool and the fleece sitting over the body. Neither ewes nor rams carry horns.

Farmers value the Lacaune for its toughness and its knack for making a living on rough grazing in hot, dry conditions. Ewes mother well and milk steadily, and the breed suits everything from extensive outdoor systems through to modern dairy sheds.

Who it suits

The Lacaune suits farmers focused on milk production, especially those supplying cheesemakers, and properties in warm, dry areas with reliable grazing. Its placid nature means routine handling and twice-a-day milking are no great chore. The meat strain suits producers after a hardy lamb that does well on grass. It is not the right choice for anyone wanting a horned breed or a heavy wool clip.

The breed is named after the town and hill country of Lacaune, in the Tarn department of southern France. Sheep have grazed this corner of the Massif Central for centuries, working the limestone plateaus and uplands. Local flocks supplied milk to the caves at Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, where it was matured into cheese, and that trade gave the regional sheep a clear commercial purpose.

Over the 19th century, local breeders worked towards a more uniform, productive animal, crossing and selecting from the mountain sheep already in the district. Out of this came the modern Lacaune: a white-faced, hornless breed suited to the local climate and to dairy work.

During the 20th century the breed split into two selection lines. Breeders lifted the dairy type's milk yield and milking traits through organised recording schemes and artificial insemination programmes, which pushed average production up sharply. The meat type was bred separately for growth rate and carcass conformation. Both lines trace back to the same regional stock.

Today the Lacaune dominates dairy sheep numbers in the Roquefort production area and has spread well beyond France. Breeders in many countries use its genetics to lift the performance of local dairy flocks, which makes it one of the most widely distributed dairy sheep breeds in the world.

The Lacaune is a trim, medium-framed sheep. The head and legs carry short white hair rather than wool, which gives the animal a tidy, workmanlike look. Both ewes and rams are polled, so neither sex grows horns. The body sits level through the back and is well balanced overall; the dairy type tends towards a more angular, milk-oriented frame, while the meat type is broader through the body and carries more muscle. Ears are medium length and sit out to the sides.

Coat and colours

The fleece is white and medium grade, covering the trunk while the head, lower legs and belly stay clear of wool. Because the breed is kept mainly for milk and meat, wool is a secondary product and the clip is not heavy. The bare head and legs help the animal stay cooler in the warm climate it comes from, and make milking and checking the animal over that much easier.

The Lacaune has a settled, even temperament. It is calm and biddable, and flocks handle without much fuss, which is a real advantage in a dairy setup where animals go through the milking parlour twice a day. The breed earns its good-natured, hardworking reputation from ewes that milk steadily and raise their lambs well.

Ewes used to regular handling settle down and become cooperative around people. Sheep are a flocking species, and the Lacaune is no exception: it sticks close to the group and responds well to a set routine, so consistent management keeps the animals settled. They generally get on fine with other livestock. Rams need sensible handling during the breeding season, as with any sheep breed. Maternal behaviour is good, with ewes staying attentive to their lambs in the first weeks of life.

Grooming

• Shear once a year, usually before the weather turns warm.
• Check and trim feet on a regular schedule to head off lameness.
• Keep to a drenching programme based on faecal egg counts and veterinary advice.
• Check the bare face and legs over for cuts, ticks or skin trouble.
• For milking ewes, keep the udder clean and watch for any sign of mastitis.

Exercise

• Give the flock daily access to grazing; the breed is built for foraging actively on pasture.
• Allow room to roam over rough or sloping country, which suits where the breed comes from.
• Shift stock between paddocks to keep pasture quality up and cut parasite loads.
• Avoid penning animals in small, bare yards for long stretches.

Environment

The Lacaune is suited to a warm, dry climate and handles summer heat well, but it still needs shade and shelter from heavy rain, wind and cold snaps. Provide dry, well-ventilated housing for lambing, milking and rough weather. Clean water needs to be on hand at all times, and demand climbs sharply once ewes are in milk. Secure, well-maintained fencing keeps the flock contained and safe from predators.

Grass and conserved forage, such as hay, silage or baleage, make up the base of the Lacaune's diet. On good pasture, dry ewes that are not in lamb can meet most of their needs from grazing alone. Energy and protein demand climbs during late pregnancy, milking and rapid lamb growth, and concentrate feed is usually brought in to match the extra workload, particularly for high-yielding dairy ewes. A loose mineral and salt supplement covers any trace elements the pasture may be short on.

Treats and supplements

Keep any extra feeding modest. Small amounts of safe vegetables or purpose-made sheep treats work fine for training and handling, but they should stay a minor part of the overall diet. Provide a sheep-specific mineral supplement, and follow veterinary advice on selenium and other trace elements where the local soil runs short.

The Lacaune is generally a robust breed, well adapted to extensive grazing, and a well-managed animal commonly reaches 8 to 12 years old. Most health problems are the ones common to grazing and dairy sheep generally, rather than faults specific to this breed. Good nutrition, parasite control, foot care and udder hygiene between them cover the large majority of routine needs.

Preventive care

• Follow a vaccination and drenching schedule drawn up with a veterinarian.
• Check feet regularly and trim as needed.
• Keep an eye on body condition right through the production cycle.
• Practise good milking hygiene to protect udder health.
• Quarantine new arrivals before they join the main flock.

Lacaune ewes typically reach breeding condition within their first year, and many are first put to the ram at around one to two years old, depending on growth and how they have been managed. Mating is usually seasonal, with rams joined to the flock so lambing falls at a planned time of year. Gestation runs about five months. Litter size is commonly one or two lambs, and twins turn up often in ewes that are well fed.

Ewes are attentive mothers and milk strongly. In dairy systems, lambs are often weaned quite early so the ewe's milk can go to the parlour for cheese production, with lambs raised on milk replacer or shifted onto solid feed. Where the focus is meat, lambs stay on the ewe longer to support growth. Selection in the dairy line puts the emphasis on milk yield, milking speed and udder shape, while the meat line is selected for growth and carcass traits. Artificial insemination is widely used in recorded dairy flocks to spread improved genetics.