The Silver Bar Ranch - Ben Franklin, TX

Our mission is to strengthening and enhance the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products in the United States. We raise American Blackbelly, Texas Dall and Painted Desert Big Horn Sheep along with Texas Longhorn Cattle. The Painted Desert Sheep originated on Texas game ranches by crossing Mouflon Sheep with Rambouillet, Merino and Texas Blackbelly. The coloured varieties of these shee

p produced hybrid, spotted individuals, and were known as Parti-Dalls. Hunters wishing to add these colorful sheep to their trophy rooms started to call them “Painted Desert” sheep. The first impression of an ideal Sheep is of an alert, regal and athletic animal of obvious Mouflon heritage. It is a nicely coloured sheep with a slick, smooth hair coat. Mature rams should have large uniform horns with a full mane and bib; the nose is Roman shaped. Ewes are finer boned with a distinctly feminine face. Our sheep are hair sheep with a double coat, and will fully shed their winter coats in the spring. There is no shearing, crutching, or docking of tails required. These sheep are well adapted to winter and summer climates. Thin Horn Sheep are a hardy breed, naturally resistant to many parasites, and are excellent browsers. They are great mothers, often raising triplets without concern. Our sheep are primarily for breeding stock. We focus on large horns, good color and temperament. Any livestock not producing good horns and color are either sold at a reduced rate, or are sold as locker lamb at auction. Our herd is still in the development stage, and we are holding back the best ewe lambs for our breeding program going forward. We are hoping to be able to produce consistent colour and horn genetics in our flock- but it is a work in progress. The meat of Sheep is wonderfully delicate with a mild flavour raved about by our customers. It is typically a lean meat with no mutton taste even with older animals. Our hanging weights are typically around 50-60 pounds (in your freezer) at 7 months of age.