Breed · Sheep breed
Karakul
The Karakul is an ancient fat-tailed sheep breed of Central Asia, historically prized for the tightly curled coats of newborn lambs and also kept for coarse wool, milk, meat, and fat, and noted for hardiness in harsh, arid environments.
Record
Livestock breed- Breed of
- Sheep
- Species
- Sheep (Ovis aries)
- Type
- Dual-purpose
- Origin
- Central Asia (historically the Bukhara region), Uzbekistan
- Recognition
- Registered
- Conservation status
- Not establishedReported per source and date (e.g. FAO DAD-IS); not a fixed property of the breed.
- Registries
- FAO DAD-IS · Global · as of 2026-07-12Karakul and its national strains are recorded in the global breed inventory.
- National Karakul registries (e.g. the American Karakul Sheep Registry) · Central Asia and other countries · as of 2026-07-12Registries and strains vary by country; the American Karakul is one recognised national population.
- Adaptation
- Well adapted to harsh, arid, and continental climates and to extensive, low-input pastoral management.
- Primary uses
- Lamb pelts (historically), Coarse carpet wool, Milk, Meat and fat
Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.
The Karakul is one of the oldest recorded sheep breeds, associated with the arid steppe and desert regions of Central Asia, historically the area around Bukhara in present-day Uzbekistan. It is a fat-tailed breed, storing energy reserves in a fatty tail and rump as an adaptation to harsh, variable environments.
Karakul sheep have historically been kept for several products, most distinctively the tightly curled coats of very young lambs, and also for coarse carpet wool, milk, meat, and fat. The breed is hardy and long adapted to extensive management in difficult climates, and populations and regional strains occur across Central Asia and in other countries.
Origin and history
The Karakul has a long history in Central Asia, where it was maintained by pastoralists in arid and semi-arid conditions. It became internationally known through trade in the curled coats of newborn lambs, historically referred to by names such as Astrakhan, Persian lamb, or broadtail. The breed and its derivatives were introduced to other regions, and various national strains and registries developed.
Physical and production characteristics
Karakuls are fat-tailed sheep of moderate size, often born with a dark, tightly curled coat that changes as the lamb matures; adults carry a coarse fleece suited to carpet wool and similar uses. The breed is multi-purpose, providing coarse wool, milk, meat, and fat in addition to its historical pelt use.
Adaptation and distribution
The Karakul is well adapted to harsh, arid, and continental climates and to extensive, low-input pastoral management. It remains present across Central Asia and is kept in smaller numbers in parts of Africa, the Americas, and Europe, where distinct strains have developed.
Relationships
Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.
Adapted to climate
Scope & limitations
Geographic scope: Global; Central Asian in origin, with strains in several other regions.
Climate context: Arid and continental environments; a hardy fat-tailed pastoral breed.
- The Karakul spans many regional strains and populations; characteristics, uses, and numbers vary widely by country.
- Conservation status differs between national populations and registries and is not uniform; a global risk category is not asserted here.
- Historical pelt terminology reflects past trade practice and is described for context, not as guidance.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Cited for: Breed record, origin, and characteristics in the global inventory
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- [2]CABI Digital Library — Crop Protection Compendium (opens in a new tab)High
CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International)
Cited for: Breed characterization and background
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- Moderate
Cited for: General historical and background context
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12