As part of the first British project, in order to meet the growing demand for meat with a unique taste, two Welsh farmers began to breed sheep from Africa.
The three-year project aims to study the possibility of raising Damara sheep.
This is a domestic breed of sheep, known for its large "fat" tails and hind limbs, which can usually be found in the arid desert regions of the Middle East and North Africa.
Llane breed sheep
Anglesey farmers Peter Williams and Bedwir Jones intend to breed pure Damara and cross her with Romney, Texel's cross and Llane's sheep. Farmers will also monitor how well the sheep adapt to typical milder and wetter Welsh conditions.
Texel Sheep
Farmers will begin their project this year with the import of embryos and seed of Damara. Damaras are famous for their ability to adapt perfectly to harsh conditions due to their ability to gain weight, despite the nutritionally poor diet.
But it is the unique taste characteristics of the meat and fat of these sheep, which are used in traditional Arabic cooking, that are in great demand among ethnic groups in the UK.
Sheep Damara
Gourmets claim that the nutritional qualities of the meat of these thick-tailed sheep are more delicate, slender and juicy than their congeners with thin tails. According to the British Wool Council, there are more than 1,000 breeds of sheep in the world, and about 60 of them are bred in the UK.
Romney sheep
