The Dolan sheep is a rare possession and is indeed a coveted pet as one thousand of such sheep exist on the planet! The Dolan sheep has become priceless and a lot of wealthy Chinese are keen on owning one of these rare pets. The Dolan sheep are bred in a place called Kashgar in China. These sheep have a different look and were normally preferred for food as they grow and mature quickly, however, over the years, regular sheep outnumbered the Dolan variety. Now these sheep have become so scarce that people are willing to trade their entire herd of sheep in exchange for one Dolan sheep!
However, it is not quite easy to keep a Dolan sheep as a pet as this unique and rare species is extremely expensive and the latest sale of a Dolan sheep has been for around 1.6 million Euros or 218 million US Dollars! The price of such sheep increases with the quality of its fleece, color, long ears, curved mouth and twin tails!
This remarkable animal is close on the verge of being extinct and therefore various Chinese that are Dolan breeders have slowly formed a community to rear Dolan sheep as possessing a number of them would be a very expensive proposition! Currently, the rich Chinese gentry are keen on owning a Dolan sheep as a pet – it is so astonishing that this breed was earlier used mainly for food and now it is a costly commodity of sorts! However, if you do plan on purchasing this beauty, then you must also prepare yourself for the coming costs and expenditures pertaining to its health and hygiene.
These sheep flourish on a special diet of grass, dates and walnuts. Furthermore, it is said that the higher the pedigree of a Dolan sheep, the better will be its offsprings. Some Dolan sheep breeders also sell the semen of their male Dolan sheep in order to impregnate the female who in turn gives birth to supreme pedigree Dolan lambs. This way, the sheep breeders earn more money by selling the Dolan lambs at a much higher price!
Physical Appearance
The Dolan sheep differ in outer appearance in comparison to the regular sheep. The Dolan sheep have a characteristic curved nose, long floppy ears and also have twin tails. Experienced sheep breeders are of the opinion that the darker the hue of the fleece the better they are. The Dolan sheep that have a very curved nose (like the beak of an eagle) and long ears are considered the best in the breed. Furthermore, it is also said that Dolan sheep having a dark body but a white tail are supposed to be the rarest kind in that breed,
Temperament
These sheep are very peaceful and loving in temperament.
Grooming
The sheep matures very quickly and reaches a good size by the time it reaches six months of age. These sheep are now considered purely ornamental and are not used for meat. They have a thick fleece that needs to be groomed frequently. They are fed on a rich and nutritious diet of grass, dates and walnuts.
Ideal living conditions
The ideal living conditions for the Dolan sheep would be in the colder areas as they are found in the cold Kashgar region in China.
Life expectancy
The life expectancy of a sheep usually increases with its size. Normally they are believed to live for 10-20 years, however, certain breeds can live much longer. However, there is a lot of breeding, both natural and artificial, that is being undertaken to increase the overall numbers of Dolan sheep.
Health issues
There are many problems that can be faced by sheep such as clostridial diseases, sore mouth, internal and external parasites, respiratory problems, caseous lymphadenitis, listeriosis, copper toxicity, lactic acidosis, white muscle disease, mastitis and so on. The major health issues faced by Dolan sheep would generally be physical problems owing to lack of hygiene which has to be meticulously seen into.