2024年3月16日发(作者：)

The Jacob sheep is a rare breed of small, piebald (colored with white

spots), polycerate (multi-horned) sheep. Jacobs may have from two to six horns,

but most commonly have four. The most common color is black and white. Jacobs

are usually raised for their wool, meat, and hides. They are also kept as pets and

ornamental animals, and have been used as guard animals to protect farm

property from theft or vandalism and defend other livestockagainst predators.

雅各伯绵羊是稀有的小型，花斑，多角绵羊品种。可以有两到六个角，但最常见的是

四个角。最常见的颜色是黑色和白色。雅可布可以提供毛，肉，皮，他们也作为和观赏动

物宠物饲养，还可以被用作守卫动物保护农场财产被盗或破坏，还能驱赶垂涎家畜的肉食

动物。

Generally referred to as an unimproved or heirloom breed (one that has

survived with little human selection), the Jacob is descended from an ancient Old

World breed of sheep, although its exact origins remain unclear. Spotted

polycerate sheep were documented in England by the mid–17th century, and were

widespread a century later. Unlike most other old world breeds, the Jacobs of

North America have not undergone extensive cross-breeding and selective

breeding; their body habitus resembles that of a goat. Relative to their American

counterparts, British Jacobs tend to be larger and heavier, and have lost many of

their original characteristics through artificial selection.

作为一个觉原始的品种，雅各伯绵羊是出身于旧大陆的绵羊品种，虽然其确切的起源

尚不清楚。花斑多角绵羊确切的记录是在17世纪中期的英格兰，其后的一个时机它被广

泛传播。不像其他大多数旧世界的品种，美国北部的雅各伯绵羊没有经过广泛的杂交育种

和选育；他们的体质类似于山羊。相对于他们的美国同行，英国雅各伯绵羊由于人工选择，

体型越来越大，越来越重，失去了很多原始特征。

历史

雅各伯绵羊的起源是模糊的，但它肯定是一个非常古老的品种。花斑绵羊在人类历史

上多有记载，频繁出现在远东，中东，和地中海地区的艺术作品中。某种花斑绵羊品种，

大约三千年前出现在中东Levant，即现在的叙利亚。

Among the many accounts of ancient breeds of piebald sheep is the story

of Jacob from the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.

According to the Book of Genesis (Genesis 30:31–43), in what may be the earliest

recorded attempt at selective breeding,

[3]

Jacob took every speckled and spotted

sheep from his father-in-law's (Laban's) flock and bred them. The Jacob is named

for the Biblical figure of Jacob.

[1][4]

The resulting breed may have accompanied the

westward expansion of human civilization through Northern Africa, Sicily, Spain

and eventually England.

[2]

However, it was not until the 20th century when the

breed acquired the name "Jacob sheep".

[5]

花斑绵羊品种的众多古代记录中有着圣经的雅各伯故事。据创世记（创30:31–43），

这可能是最早选育尝试的记录，[ 3 ]雅各伯把每一只斑点绵羊从他的岳父的羊群中分出饲

养。雅各伯羊因此得名。[ 1 ] [ 4 ]由此产生的品种可能伴随着人类文明西进，扩张至非洲

北部，西西里岛，最终到达西班牙和英格兰。[ 2 ]然而，直到20世纪，这个品种才取名“雅

各伯绵羊”。[ 5 ]