Frequently asked questions
The Rideau sheep breed, also known as the Rideau Arcott, is a synthetic breed developed entirely in Canada as part of a government-led research initiative. The foundational work began in 1959 at Agriculture Canada's Animal Research Centre (ARC) in Ottawa.
The Rideau was developed as a composite breed, incorporating genetics from multiple established sheep breeds to optimize maternal characteristics and economic returns in intensive lamb production systems. Key breeds involved included the Finnish Landrace (contributing 40% of the genetics for high fertility), Suffolk (20% for growth and conformation), East Friesian (14% for milking ability), Shropshire (9%), Dorset Horn (8%), and smaller contributions (totaling 9%) from Border Leicester, North Country Cheviot, Romnelet, and Corriedale. This multi-breed foundation was selected over 10-15 years of intensive breeding and genetic refinement at the Ottawa research station.
It is a large, white-faced, polled (hornless) sheep with rapid growth rates, making it primarily suited for meat production, though it also yields medium-quality wool. Ewes reach sexual maturity at 7-8 months and can lamb at one year old, with lambing intervals as short as eight months and rates around 180% (often 40% twins and 50% triplets in mature ewes). The breed's strong milking, mothering, and fertility traits make it ideal for crossbreeding programs, where Rideau rams can boost lambing rates in other flocks to 180% or higher.
Rideau sheep are relatively new breed. They were released to Canadian producers in the late 1980s. Since then they have become one of the most used breeds of sheep in Canada.
In addition to the newness the US and Canada had import restrictions in place off and on from 2003 through 2021. There were concerns about a couple of diseases that had been found in both countries and as part of the management they had limited or banned sheep imports.
We are seeing some imports now, but it is still a few month process to bring a Canadian sheep to the US. Over time we expect to increase the numbers of pure bred Rideau sheep born in the United States to help increase their availability to producers and breeder.