Santa Inês

Santa Inês is a Brazilian hair sheep, especially important in the northeast of Brazil and now influential in other tropical and subtropical regions. It is usually described as a larger hair breed shaped from local and imported influences, often including Morada Nova, Bergamasca, and Crioula ancestry. Santa Inês sheep grow hair rather than wool, come in several colors, and are kept mainly for meat and hides.

The breed is useful where humidity, heat, and parasite pressure make wool sheep difficult to manage. Producers often value its body size, long legs, polled head, and ability to serve as a native tropical meat breed or crossing sire. Good flocks still require selection for lambing, udder quality, feet, parasite resilience, and moderate maintenance needs. Because larger Santa Inês sheep can replace smaller local breeds, conservation-minded breeders should think carefully about crossbreeding choices and avoid losing locally adapted hair sheep genetics in the pursuit of bigger lambs.

Colors: Badgerface, Black, Blackbelly, Broken, Brown, Gray, Grey, Gulmoget, Katmoget, Moorit, Piebald, Red, Roan, Silver, Solid, Spotted, Tan, White, White with Black Points, White with Brown Points