In the arid and semi-arid areas of East Africa, you will find the Red Maasai Sheep, named for their typical red-brown coat. Also known as the Tanganyika sheep, it is an indigenous breed of sheep, traditionally kept by the Maasai.

These sheep have been kept because they are valued for the flavour of their meat. It is supposed to be sweet and they have a higher fat content. It is also a very hardy breed that has a strong resistance to parasites. Although they do not produce much milk, the milk they do produce is rich and thick and this compensates for the small quantity.

Numbers are reducing due to cross-breeding with sheep varieties with more dominant characteristics. In order to save this unique breed, Slow Food and IFAD established the Red Maasai Sheep Presidium.

Sustainability is at the core of Gibb’s Farm ethos, and after reading the information about the red sheep, we became fascinated. We thought that we should try and do our part to ensure the longevity of the breed. We wanted to ensure that we could get a breeding pair for Gibb’s Farm so that we could try and breed and grow a small flock. We also wanted to give our guests the opportunity to learn about these special sheep. 

It has taken us some months to prepare. Firstly, we wanted to build a new sheep pen where we could isolate them during mating and birthing. We wanted a pen that was secure, offered air circulation, and plenty of warm safe space for our new sheep.

Finally, the new home was completed and we were able to search and purchase a beautiful couple that we hope will have their honeymoon soon.

We have named them Rusty and Rosie.

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