Proudly Introducing the Bleu du Maine Breed.

DISTINCTIVE BREED

Iconic slate-blue head and white fleece

PROVEN MATERNAL TRAITS

Prolific, milky and easy lambing

PEDIGREE REGISTRATION

Building reliable U.S. breed records

GROWING IN THE U.S.

Connecting breeders and expanding the breed

About Us

The Bleu du Maine is a large-framed sheep recognized for its distinctive slate-blue to blue-gray head, clean appearance, and productive maternal traits. The breed is especially valued for its prolificacy, milk production, lambing ease, and ability to produce well-conformed offspring.

Bleu du Maine sheep offer a combination of maternal ability, structural soundness, and carcass qualities that can make them a valuable addition to both purebred and crossbreeding programs. While particularly recognized for their strengths as a maternal breed, they can also contribute growth, muscling, and desirable carcass characteristics to crossbred lambs.

The Bleu du Maine U.S. Registry operates under the RSG Foundation to support the growth and recognition of the breed in the United States. The Foundation provides a home for registration, recordkeeping, breeder resources, and education while helping preserve breed integrity for future generations.

DNA & Genetic Verification Requirements

To help establish a reliable genetic foundation for the Bleu du Maine breed in the United States, all Bleu du Maine sheep born in the U.S. and submitted for registration will be required to have a DNA sample tested through Neogen. The initial purpose of this requirement is to establish a baseline DNA record for the U.S. population, allowing the registry to develop reliable parentage verification and genetic tracking as the breed grows.

For animals produced from imported genetics, breeders must provide documentation verifying the origin of those genetics. Acceptable documentation should include the applicable import records and breeder/source information sufficient for the registry to confirm the genetic origin and connect the resulting U.S.-born animal to its imported foundation genetics.

These requirements are intended to protect the integrity of the U.S. Bleu du Maine registry, document the breed’s foundation genetics, and create a dependable genetic record that can support parentage verification and responsible breed development for future generations.

Reference:  https://www.neogen.com/en/usac/industries/sheep-goat/

Breed Characteristics

The Bleu du Maine is a large-framed sheep recognized for its distinctive slate-blue to blue-gray head, clean appearance, and productive maternal traits. The breed is especially valued for its prolificacy, milk production, lambing ease, and ability to produce well-conformed offspring.

Bleu du Maine sheep offer a combination of maternal ability, structural soundness, and carcass qualities that can make them a valuable addition to both purebred and crossbreeding programs. While particularly recognized for their strengths as a maternal breed, they can also contribute growth, muscling, and desirable carcass characteristics to crossbred lambs.

Head & Teeth

One of the breed’s most recognizable features is its slate-blue to blue-gray head. Bleu du Maine sheep are naturally polled and should display an alert, expressive appearance with prominent ears and open nostrils.

The head is relatively refined in proportion to the animal’s body, contributing to the breed’s characteristic appearance. Teeth should be short and straight, with the lower incisors properly meeting the dental pad. Significant undershot or overshot bites are considered undesirable.

Feet & Legs

Bleu du Maine sheep should exhibit sound, balanced structure with relatively fine, flat bone. Legs should be correctly positioned beneath the animal without being excessively wide or narrow.

Feet should be well shaped and balanced, with strong, upright pasterns and sound hooves. Animals should move freely and comfortably, demonstrating good mobility and structural correctness.

Body

The Bleu du Maine should have a well-proportioned, long body with a strong topline and good overall capacity. The neck should blend smoothly into a wide, strong back, while well-sprung ribs provide adequate body volume.

Overall structure should combine length, width, balance, and muscling while maintaining the breed’s characteristic refinement and maternal appearance.

Reproductive Soundness

Breeding animals should demonstrate normal reproductive development and soundness.

Rams should have two normally developed and adequately sized testicles that are reasonably even in size. Ewes should have a healthy, functional udder free from noticeable abnormalities, hardness, or lumps.

Fleece

Bleu du Maine sheep produce a dense, uniform fleece with a characteristically soft handle. Fleeces should demonstrate consistency in fiber quality and length and be largely free from undesirable kemp or colored fibers.

Mature ewes are known for producing substantial fleeces, which can be particularly appealing to hand spinners and other specialty wool users. The combination of fleece quality and the breed’s productive characteristics adds another valuable dimension to the Bleu du Maine.

THE BLEU DU MAIN BREED

The Bleu du Maine traces its roots to western France, where the breed was developed during the 19th century in the regions of Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, and Sarthe. Its development is attributed to the crossing of the native Choletais sheep with Leicester Longwool and Wensleydale sheep imported into France between 1855 and 1880.

As the breed became established, Bleu du Maine sheep expanded beyond their region of origin into other areas of France, including Brittany, central and southeastern France, and the Ardennes. From there, the breed began reaching other European countries, including Germany and Belgium. Commercial introductions into the United Kingdom followed in 1982, further expanding the breed’s international presence.

Today, the Bleu du Maine is recognized for its large frame, prolific maternal characteristics, and unmistakable appearance. Both rams and ewes are naturally polled, with the breed’s signature clean, blue-gray head remaining one of its most distinctive features.

The Bleu du Maine US Registry is proud to continue this history by supporting the preservation, documentation, and development of the breed as its presence grows within the United States.

765-978-0301 Ext. 105