Emola Farm handles American Blackbelly sheep — the horned blackbelly type — at our farm in Mabank, Texas. These are the animals most Texas hunting ranches and exotic stock buyers are looking for. Call 903-880-0124 for current availability and we will send you a photo.
American Blackbelly vs. Barbados Blackbelly: The Difference
Buyers ask for one of these and mean the other more often than any other mix-up in the sheep business. They are two distinct breeds.
| Barbados Blackbelly | American Blackbelly | |
|---|---|---|
| Horns | Normally polled — both sexes hornless | Rams carry large, sweeping horns; ewes are usually polled but can be scurred or horned |
| Origin | The island of Barbados | Developed in the United States by crossing Barbados Blackbelly with horned stock, including Mouflon and Rambouillet |
| Coat | Hair sheep — sheds, no shearing | Hair sheep — sheds, no shearing |
| Coloring | Tan or brown body, black belly, black facial bars | Very similar — often more strongly marked |
| Bought mainly for | Meat, small flocks, easy keeping | Hunting ranches, exotic stock, trophy rams |
In Texas the shorthand “Barbado” is applied loosely to both — and strictly speaking it is not a breed name at all, but a descriptor for blackbelly-marked sheep of mixed background. In practice it most often means a horned animal. That is why the first thing we need to know is simple: do you want horns or not?
If you want the polled, easy-keeping commercial animal, you want Barbados sheep. If you want the horned ram, you are on the right page.
Who Buys American Blackbelly Sheep
Hunting Ranches and Exotic Stock
This is the largest market for the breed in Texas. The horns on a mature American Blackbelly ram are dramatic — heavy, curling, and sweeping back — and ranches stock them as an exotic species. They are hardy, they handle Texas heat, and they hold up on rough country with minimal input. Prices for good horned rams track the exotic and hunting market rather than the commercial sheep market.
Breeders
People raising the breed and selling rams into the exotic market. Ewes and young stock are the foundation, and horn quality in the ram line is what you are selecting for.
Small Flocks and Meat
The breed carries all the practical advantages of blackbelly hair sheep — no shearing, heat tolerance, parasite resistance, easy lambing. If you like the look of the horned rams and you are running a small flock, the breed does the job.
What the Breed Gives You
- No shearing. Hair sheep. They shed naturally.
- Heat tolerance. Bred up from tropical stock, comfortable in a Texas summer.
- Parasite resistance. Better than wool breeds in humid East Texas, where parasites cause more losses than anything else.
- Easy lambing. Ewes generally lamb unassisted and mother well.
- Hardiness on rough ground. They do well on country that would not support a commercial flock.
- The horns. For the market that wants them, this is the whole point, and it is what separates the value of these animals from ordinary hair sheep.
Handling Horned Rams — Read This Before You Buy One
A mature horned ram is a genuinely dangerous animal, and this is not a formality.
- Never turn your back on a ram. Rams charge, they charge without warning, and they hit hard enough to break bones. Ram injuries are one of the most common serious accidents in small-livestock keeping.
- Do not make a pet of a ram lamb. A ram that has no fear of people becomes the dangerous one. Head-butting that looks like play in a lamb is not play in a two-year-old ram.
- Fence for horns. Use fencing a horned animal cannot get its head caught in. A ram hung in a fence in July will not survive long.
- Give him his own space. Rams need secure separate penning outside of breeding season, and it needs to be stout.
- Handle them with a plan. Have a way to move and sort rams that does not depend on you being in a pen with one.
We build fencing, custom gates, and pens and do welding, including ram pens and working setups.
Other Management Points
Predators
Ewes and lambs need protection from coyotes and loose dogs. Secure night penning or a guardian animal.
Minerals
Do not feed goat minerals to sheep. The added copper in goat minerals accumulates in sheep and becomes toxic. Use a sheep mineral, or one labeled safe for both species.
Flock Size
Sheep are flock animals and do badly alone. Start with several.
Where We Are
Emola Farm, 759 VZ CR 2704, Mabank, Texas 75147 — near Cedar Creek Lake in Van Zandt County, within reach of Athens, Canton, Kaufman, Terrell, Gun Barrel City, Corsicana, Tyler, and the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have American Blackbelly sheep right now?
Availability changes weekly. Call 903-880-0124 and tell us whether you want horned rams, ewes, or lambs.
How much does a horned Blackbelly ram cost?
Horned rams are priced against the exotic and hunting market, which runs differently from commercial sheep. Price depends on age, horn quality, and condition. Call for what we have and what it is worth today.
Is a “Barbado” the same as a Barbados Blackbelly?
Not usually. In Texas, “Barbado” most often means the horned American Blackbelly. True Barbados Blackbelly are normally polled. Tell us whether you want horns and we will get you the right animal.
Do these sheep need shearing?
No. They are hair sheep and shed naturally.
Are they good for a hunting ranch?
They are one of the standard exotic species stocked in Texas — hardy, heat tolerant, and the mature rams carry impressive horns.
Do you buy blackbelly sheep as well as sell them?
Yes. Call us if you have sheep to move.