Barbados Blackbelly Sheep

The Barbados Blackbelly is a domestic hair sheep breed originating on the Caribbean island of Barbados, now raised in about 25 countries, mostly in the Caribbean and South America including Mexico and Peru. It does not produce wool, carries black or brown coloring on its face and body, is naturally polled, and tolerates parasites well enough to survive on poor tropical grazing in severe heat and humidity. It is notably prolific for a tropical breed, averaging about two lambs per litter, and is reared primarily for meat; its global population was estimated at about 158,000 animals in 2015, and it has been crossed with other breeds, including in the United States to create the American Blackbelly variant.