Columbia sheep

[1] The product of USDA and university research, it was intended to be an improved breed adapted for the Western ranges of the country (where the majority of sheep raising takes place).

[1] Beginning in 1912 in Laramie, Wyoming, Lincoln rams were crossed with Rambouillet ewes.

[2] In 1918, the foundation flock was moved to the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station near Dubois, Idaho, for further refinement.

Today's Columbia is a popular breed, with heavy, white fleeces and good growth characteristics.

An average fleece from a ewe weighs from 10 to 16 lb (4.5 to 7.3 kg), with a yield of 45 to 55%.