Babydoll is the name now given to the smaller-sized version of the Southdown sheep breed as it was before the mid-1970s.
At that time, genetics were introduced to Australia from New Zealand where larger-framed Southdown sheep were being bred. Southdowns continued to evolve so much that the Southdown Breed Standard as laid down with the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders’ Association (ASSBA) no longer fitted the few flocks of remaining Babydoll-sized Southdowns.
The Babydoll Sheep Australia Association Inc (BSAA) spent several years in discussions with ASSBA and with Southdown Australia seeking official recognition of the Babydoll as its own breed. After a lot of work, the Babydoll Flock History commenced in ASSBA’s 2020 Flock Register and the Babydoll established its own Breed Standard separate to the Southdown.
Consequently, ASSBA is the BSAA’s recommended Registry. ASSBA is the longest serving purebred sheep Registry in Australia with the records going back to 1897.
Our South Glynde stud is registered with ASSBA.
Sheep bought from an ASSBA registered breeder only remain “registered” if they are transferred to another member of ASSBA.
If the purchaser does not belong to ASSBA and has not registered their own Babydoll stud, they cannot sell their purchases or their progeny as “registered” or "can be registered". Therefore, a purchaser must join ASSBA and have a Babydoll stud with their own Prefix to sell their sheep as registered.
NOTE: Transfers should be sent to the ASSBA within sixty days of the sale of the sheep and the new buyer has a further sixty days within which time to register their Stud Prefix and flock. After this time, the re-registration of these sheep is up to the discretion of the ASSBA Board and will at the least require an extra fee. ASSBA is not totally strict with this, but don't expect to be able to keep the sheep for a couple of years before registering a Stud. A registry needs to be able to prove continuity of ownership and breeding details, so timelines are important.
The ASSBA is the longest serving purebred sheep Registry in Australia with the records going back to 1897.
Registering your sheep with the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA);
NB: ASSBA does not recognise registrations from other sheep registries.
Purchasers of a few Babydolls as lawnmowers or companion animals on small acres with no intention of breeding sheep to sell, often ask if they need to join ASSBA and comply with all the requirements of a registered stud (e.g. Ovine Brucellosis accreditation etc).
The answer is “no”, as long as they are aware that if they change their mind at a later stage, ASSBA may not be able to transfer sheep purchased from a registered flock if several years have elapsed (see NOTE above).
Every breed registered with the Australian Sheep Stud Breeders Association (ASSBA) has an official breed description.
Thank you to ASSBA for permission to reproduce the Babydoll Breed Description from their Australian Flock Register.
Any sheep entered for showing will be judged according to this description. It should be noted that the official breed description of the Southdown when it was Babydoll-sized pre the 1970s, never stipulated a height to the shoulder.
Head | Wide and level between the ears, with no sign of a dark poll. |
Muzzle and Face | Full, not too long from eyes to nose. The fleece and hair on the muzzle should be even coloured from very light tan to cinnamon or mousey grey, ideally covering the entire muzzle, extending from the corners of the mouth to a rounded point between the eyes. The fleece should not be so long as to obstruct vision. |
Eyes | Large and bright |
Ears | Set level with the head and of medium size, covered with short wool |
Neck | Wide at base, short, strong and well set on shoulder |
Legs | Forelegs should be short and well placed at the corners. Hindlegs should be short, full and well let down. Lower leg fleece colour is similar to muzzle colour and extending from the feet to the knees where it meets the body fleece |
Shoulders | Well laid into the ribs and level to the back. The width at the shoulders should be less than the width at the hips to facilitate easy lambing |
Back | Level from shoulder to tail with only a slight slope of the croup. Overall body length should be slightly longer than tall |
Chest | Wide and deep |
Loin | Long, wide and thick |
Ribs | Deep and wide, thick through the heart girth and well sprung |
Rump | Wide and of medium length with only a slight slope of the croup |
Tail | Wide and set high on a line almost level with the top-line when standing in a natural alert stance |
Hind Saddle | Full and well-muscled, with a deep wide muscling through the twist and legs |
Skin | A healthy pink |
Height | All measurements are taken at the highest point of the middle of the shoulder and perpendicular to the ground on a shorn sheep. Adult sheep should be between 45cm and 61cm |
Fleece | Fine, tight and dense, with a medium to medium-fine, soft and springy crimp |
Rams | Rams should look more masculine and are usually larger than ewes. They must have both testicles descended. |
Ewes | Ewes should have a broad, well attached but not pendulous udder with two teats. |
South Glynde, has been registered with ASSBA since 2011
Prefix: South Glynde
Babydoll Flock Number: 2420
We are members of the Babydoll Sheep Association of Australia Inc (BSAA).
Dee is a past committee member of the BSAA.