The Valais Blacknose or is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region of Switzerland. It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for meat and for wool.
History
The breed originates in the mountains of the canton of Valais – from which its name derives – and of the Bernese Oberland. It is documented as far back as the fifteenth century, but the present German name was not used before 1884; the breed standard dates from 1962. In the past there was some cross-breeding with imported sheep: in the nineteenth century with Bergamasca and Cotswold stock, and in the twentieth century with the Southdown.
The Valais Blacknose is also present in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. The total population reported in Switzerland for 2023 was , with ewes registered in the herd-book; the conservation status of the breed is listed as 'not at risk'.
Characteristics
The Schwarznasenschaf is a mountain breed, well adapted to grazing on the stony pastures of its area of origin. Both rams and ewes are horned, with helical or spiral-shaped horns. Ewes may have black spots on the tail, but rams may not.
Use
The Valais Blacknose is a dual-purpose breed, reared for both meat and wool. The wool is coarse: fibre diameter averages approximately , and staple length is or more. The annual yield of wool is about per head.
References
Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. . Archived 23 June 2020.
Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. .
Tiergenetische Ressourcen der Schweizer Landwirtschaft (in German). Bern: Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft. Archived 18 April 2026.
Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. .
Breed Data Sheet: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf / Switzerland (Sheep). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2026.
Transboundary breed: Valais Blacknose. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2024.