Dongshan Lake Sheep

Dongshan Lake Sheep

Dongshan Lake Sheep is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Dongshan is the birthplace of the Lake Sheep, with a breeding history spanning over 800 years. Dongshan Lake Sheep possess genetic traits unmatched by sheep from other regions: early maturity, tolerance to heat and humidity, adaptability to coarse feed, suitability for confined feeding, rapid growth and development, and stable production performance. In particular, their multiple births gene gives them far superior reproductive capabilities compared to other single-birth sheep breeds.

　　“Every part of the Lake Sheep is valuable.” Wu Yuming, a villager from Duqiao who has been raising Lake Sheep for many years, told reporters that the lambskin produced by Lake Sheep is lightweight and supple, yet does not fall apart. It is highly popular in international markets and is a traditional export commodity from Jiangsu, known internationally as the “soft gem.”

　　Reporters learned that due to the Lake Sheep’s extraordinary environmental adaptability—rare in the world—they can be raised in both the arid cold deserts of the northwest and the hot, humid conditions of the south, making them of great significance to China’s sheep industry. As early as 1956, the State Council issued a directive stating, “The Lake Sheep is a rare breed and also an export material, so special attention should be paid to its breeding and development.” Historically, there were tens of thousands of Lake Sheep raised in Suzhou, with the number of breeding sheep alone peaking at nearly 10,000 in Dongshan Town. The Lake Sheep have become a truly distinctive and iconic breed in Suzhou’s livestock farming.