The Zulu sheep breed is native to South Africa and is predominantly raised by rural farmers in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
[1][2] Zulu sheep are a type of Nguni breed found with the communal people of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Rural farmers recognise Zulu sheep for its high adaptation to the prevalent harsh environmental conditions and their ability to tolerate both external and gastro-intestinal parasites as well as tick-borne diseases.
[3][1] This change is being driven by the perception, held by most farmers, that indigenous livestock show poorer performance compared to their exotic counterparts.
Thus breeding programmes put in place in Africa have been geared towards improving this presumed low productive performance through crossbreeding.
The use of Zulu sheep in the rural locations of KwaZulu-Natal are primarily focused on the consumption of this species by the locals in the area.
[3] The appearance of the sheep varies a good deal; they feature multicolored shades of brown, black, and white wool or hair, and may be fat-tailed or not.
[11] This statistic was found by scientist after surveying local KwaZulu-Natal farmers who stated the mortality of lambs around 4 to 12 months of age.
Some KwaZulu-Natal farmers will use certain foliage and plants native to the land to help elevate the amount of reproduction the Zulu sheep will have during breeding.