Karakul (sheep)

Karakul (sheep)

Karakul or QaraQul (Persian: قراقل ; from "Karakul", meaning "black lake" in several Turkic languages) is a breed of domestic sheep which originated in Central Asia. Some archaeological evidence points to Karakul sheep being raised there continuously since 1400 BC.

Hailing from the desert regions of Central Asia, Karakul sheep are renowned for their ability to forage and thrive under extremely harsh living conditions. Karakul are also raised in large numbers in Namibia, Africa, having first been brought there by German colonists in the early 20th century.

Use by humans

Karakul sheep are a multi-purpose breed, kept for milking, meat, pelts, and wool. As a fat-tailed breed, they have a distinctive meat. Many adult Karakul are double-coated; in this case, people separate the coarse guard hair from the undercoat. Karakul is relatively coarse fiber used for outer garment, carpets and for felting.

Karakul pelts

Very young or even fetal Karakul lambs are prized for pelts. Newborn karakul sheep's pelts are called karakul (also spelled "caracul"), "swakara "(coined from "South West Africa Karakul"), "astrakhan" (Russian), "Persian lamb", "agnello di persia", (Italian),"krimmer" (Russian) and "garaköli bagana" (Turkmen). Sometimes the terms for newborn lambs' and fetal lambs' pelts are used interchangeably. [ [http://www.infurmation.com/pdf/hsuskar01a.pdf HSUS Investigation: Karakul Sheep and Lamb Slaughter for the Fur Trade] ] The newborn lambs have a tight, curly pattern of hair. The lambs must be under three days old when they are killed, or they will lose their black color and soft, tightly worn coils of fur. Dark colors are dominant and lambs often darken in color as they age. Fetal karakul lambs' pelts are called broadtail, "breitschwanz" (German), and "karakulcha". People use the lambs' pelts to create various clothing items, such as the karakul hat. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,51034,00.html Hamid Karzai's Famous Hat Made From Aborted Lamb Fetuses] FOX News] The pelts have been used in haute couture. [ [http://www.hsus.org/furfree/news/astrakhan_hot_new_fashion.html Astrakhan: Hot "New" Fashion is the Same Old Cruelty] ] [ [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/bizfocus/archives/2007/05/27/2003362700/print Karakuls burst upon the fashion world] , AP, KANIMEKH, UZBEKISTAN, Sunday, May 27, 2007, Page 12]

References

External links

* [http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/karakul/ Breed characteristics of Karakul]


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  • Karakul — Ka ra*kul , prop. n. [Russ. karakul curly fleece of Bokhara and Khiva sheep.] 1. A type of Astrakhan, esp. in fine grades, obtained from the Karakul sheep. See sense 2 and cf. {Caracul}. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 2. A hardy coarse haired sheep of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Karakul — /kar euh keuhl/, n. (sometimes l.c.) 1. one of an Asian breed of sheep having curly fleece that is black in the young and brown or gray in the adult: raised esp. for lambskins used in the fur industry. Cf. broadtail, Persian lamb. 2. (sometimes l …   Universalium

  • karakul — [kar′ə kul΄, kar′əkəl] n. [Russ, astrakhan < Turkic qara köl, lit., dark lake: common place name in central Asia] 1. any of a breed of medium sized sheep native to central Asia, having long, drooping ears, long legs, and a broad, fat tail 2.… …   English World dictionary

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  • sheep — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. ram, ewe, lamb; bighorn, karakul; mutton; congregation, parish; follower. See animal, laity, modesty. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. lamb, ewe, ram, tup, mutton. Types and breeds of sheep include: Leicester …   English dictionary for students

  • sheep — sheepless, adj. sheeplike, adj. /sheep/, n., pl. sheep. 1. any of numerous ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis, of the family Bovidae, closely related to the goats, esp. O. aries, bred in a number of domesticated varieties. 2. leather made from… …   Universalium

  • karakul — noun Etymology: Karakul, village in Uzbekistan Date: 1853 1. often capitalized any of a breed of hardy fat tailed sheep of central Asian origin with a narrow body and coarse wiry fur 2. the usually curly glossy black coat of a very young karakul… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Karakul (hat) — A Qaraqul (Karacul, QaraQul) hat ( fa. قراقلی) is a hat made from the fur of the Qaraqul breed of sheep. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,51034,00.html Hamid Karzai s Famous Hat Made From Aborted Lamb Fetuses] FOX News] [… …   Wikipedia

  • karakul — n. breed of Asian sheep; lambskin from a Karakul lambs …   English contemporary dictionary

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