Sheep breed
Causse du Lot
Causse du Lot
The spectacled, hardy plateau sheep of the Quercy.
Description1
A French breed from the limestone plateaus of the Lot (Causses du Quercy). A large sheep with white fleece and head, recognisable by its black ears and black 'spectacles' round the eyes. It makes up over half the department's sheep, with about 110,000 females.
A strong-boned, good-walking, polled and hardy sheep that thrives on sparse plateau vegetation, tolerates heat and is said to resist tick-borne piroplasmosis. It can lamb in any season, allowing three lambings in two years.
Lambs are slaughtered at 37–42 kg; ewes are often crossed with Île-de-France, Berrichon du Cher, Suffolk or Charollais rams. A two-stage crossing scheme spread from the 1990s (F1 46 = Causse × Île-de-France). The meat is sold as 'Agneau Fermier du Quercy' with Label Rouge and PGI.
History1
Ancient
Belongs to the branch of hardy Pyrenean breeds, from an old stock north of the Garonne.
1955
The flock book is created.
1974 → 2008
UPRA set up in 1974; the Ovilot selection organisation in 2008.
Breed standard and breed society
The official breed description, breeding goal and herdbook rules are published by the breed's recognised breed society.
- French Wikipedia – Causses du Lot (race ovine)https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causses_du_Lot_(race_ovine)
Photo gallery
All photos are freely licensed (Wikimedia Commons, Flickr); author, source and licence are shown under each image.
Sources
Accessed: 2026-10-18.