East Friesian Sheep

East Friesian Sheep is a dairy sheep breed originating in the East Frisia region spanning northern Germany and the northern Netherlands, generally regarded as the highest milk-yielding sheep breed in the world. The breed was developed by regional farmers over centuries specifically for milk production, in contrast to most sheep breeds bred primarily for wool or meat, and its milk is used to make cheese and other dairy products in commercial sheep dairying operations. Because of its exceptional milk yield, East Friesian sheep have been exported and crossed into dairy sheep flocks in many other countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to raise the milk production of local sheep dairy breeds. Purebred East Friesians are less hardy on rough pasture than many wool or meat breeds, so they are generally kept in higher-input, more intensively managed dairy operations rather than extensive rangeland grazing.