The Romanov sheep breed originated in the Volga Valley, northeast of Moscow . The name “Romanov” came from the old royal family of Russia. These sheep were first noticed in the 18th century, and were later imported into Germany and then France.
In 1980 the Canadian government brought in 14 Romanov ewes and 4 rams for testing and put them into quarantine for 5 years. After that, some were brought to the United States. All North American Romanovs are descendants of those 14 ewes. The Romanov is a pure breed and is not a mixture of several different breeds.
The average Romanov ewe weighs between 100 -150 lbs. and the average ram weighs between 150 -180 lbs. When the lambs are born they are pure black but when they get older they turn gray. This is because the black guard hair mixes with the gray wool fibres as they get older. The males have a thick mane of black hair around their neck and brisket.
The Romanov is a fine boned sheep and lacks conformation. They have a small head with large eyes. They are usually polled but some males have horns. The face is mainly black but they may have a "star" or "stripe" of white down the front of their face. Their legs are usually black but some have little white socks around their ankles. When a Romanov is crossed with most white faced sheep breeds, (ie. North Country Cheviot ) the lambs will be pure white. Romanov’s are born with their tail being only about 3 inches long so there is no need for docking.
Romanov wool ( a mixture of gray wool and black guard hair ) is used for rugs, mats, and wall hangings. It can also be used as a lining inside jackets.
Romanov sheep mature very early. Males can breed as early as 3 - 4 months of age. The ewes can be bred at 3 - 4 months (although it is not a good idea) and give birth at 9 months.
The Romanov ewes tend to lamb by the litter. Most other sheep give birth to singles and twins, while the Romanov average about 2-5 lambs per lambing. The occasional Romanov sheep might give birth to 7 - 9 lambs. The Romanov can be bred about 40 days after lambing. They usually lamb twice a year.
Romanov ewes are outstanding mothers and produce enough milk to feed their triplets or quads. The “multiple birth” trait of the Romanov is passed on to their crossbred offspring.
Romanovs have lean, tasty meat with little or no back fat, which would appeal to todays fat conscious society. Most of their fat is carried inside around the kidneys, where it is cut away during slaughter.
The Romanov is becoming a very popular breed of sheep because of it’s versatility.

The Romanov is one of our favorite breeds because the lambs are very vigorous and hardy. When the Romanov is crossed with a meat breed of sheep (ie. Dorset, Suffolk) the lambs grow very fast.