BLACK
BLACK:
Often mistaken for “chocolate” Babydolls, these sheep are actually genetically black. However, exposure to sunlight causes significant photo-bleaching of the fleece, resulting in a warm brown or “chocolate” appearance over time. This sun-induced fading is purely superficial—once shorn, the fleece regrows in its original black coloration before gradually lightening again with continued UV exposure.
Variations in the degree of sun bleaching produce a range of brownish hues, from deep mocha to light cocoa.
Often mistaken for “chocolate” Babydolls, these sheep are actually genetically black. However, exposure to sunlight causes significant photo-bleaching of the fleece, resulting in a warm brown or “chocolate” appearance over time. This sun-induced fading is purely superficial—once shorn, the fleece regrows in its original black coloration before gradually lightening again with continued UV exposure.
Variations in the degree of sun bleaching produce a range of brownish hues, from deep mocha to light cocoa.
Black
Xbred Shorn black ewe |
Black (sunfaded )
Xbred Same ewe in Full wool |
Sun faded
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Rapid Fading Gene - Black
These sheep exhibit a genetically inherited trait commonly referred to as a fading gene, which causes a progressive dilution of pigmentation in their fleece. Although lambs are initially born with eumelanin-rich black wool, a rapid decline in melanin synthesis—potentially influenced by alleles at the Agouti or Extension loci—results in a marked lightening of fiber color over time. Following shearing, the fleece regrows not as the original pigmented black but as various diluted shades, including charcoal grey, silvery taupe, or light brown, often extending down to the follicle root. In some cases, early evidence of pigment dilution is visible even in young lambs, where parting the fleece reveals hypopigmented or near-white roots beneath a superficially darker overcoat..
Already very faded
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Rapid Fading Gene
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Example of fading gene after shearing
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OFF WHITE
Off-White Babydolls: These sheep are genetically white, characterized by white fleece from birth that remains consistent throughout their lives. However, in accordance with breed standards for Babydoll Southdowns, off-white individuals must exhibit distinct pigmentation on the legs and muzzle. Acceptable coloration ranges from soft grey to warm honey, caramel, or brown tones.
Importantly, black pigment on the legs or muzzle is considered a breed fault in purebred off-white Babydolls and disqualifies them from conforming to standard.
While body fleece stays white, the pigmentation on the extremities tends to fade gradually with age, often becoming less prominent in mature individuals.
Importantly, black pigment on the legs or muzzle is considered a breed fault in purebred off-white Babydolls and disqualifies them from conforming to standard.
While body fleece stays white, the pigmentation on the extremities tends to fade gradually with age, often becoming less prominent in mature individuals.
Purebred Ram
Ram lamb that's lost his muzzle colour and retaining some leg colour |
Pure Bred Ewe lamb
Ewe lamb with light muzzle and leg colouring |
Purebred ewe
Adult ewe with brown muzzle |
Acceptable leg colours Range from grey, brown, caramel to Ginger
Moorit
Moorit is the official term for a brown sheep although it looks visually red.
These sheep are born various shades of Moorit and fade in the sun like black sheep do.
We only have two example to show, and these may or may not have the fading gene unfortunate not enough is known in babydolls with currently only Australia having Moorit in the breed.
Both these sheep are in the Appendix breeding program and are not Purebreds, but we do hope to one day have Moorit purebred babydolls
These sheep are born various shades of Moorit and fade in the sun like black sheep do.
We only have two example to show, and these may or may not have the fading gene unfortunate not enough is known in babydolls with currently only Australia having Moorit in the breed.
Both these sheep are in the Appendix breeding program and are not Purebreds, but we do hope to one day have Moorit purebred babydolls
Tanjar Rusty
TANJAR RUSTY
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Tanjar Rusty
CAMARE BABYDOLL SOUTHDOWNS QLD
SNICKERDOODLE |
Tanjar Rusty
TANJAR RUSTY
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Tanjar Mr Zippo as a lamb Son of Tanjar Rusty
Rare Transverse stripes
Not much is known about the rare Transverse striping Gene other than it fades as the sheep ages.
If lambs are shorn around six month and have the gene the pattern is visible.
We have found that it also makes the sheep fade to a lavender colour as they get older.
Currently the though is it may be sex linked somehow in our flock with mostly males expressing with no other females since the original ewe in 2015 Tanjar Zebs .
This may be a coincidence, but time will tell.
Oddly we have also found all our rams will produce white testicle
sacks as they mature.
If lambs are shorn around six month and have the gene the pattern is visible.
We have found that it also makes the sheep fade to a lavender colour as they get older.
Currently the though is it may be sex linked somehow in our flock with mostly males expressing with no other females since the original ewe in 2015 Tanjar Zebs .
This may be a coincidence, but time will tell.
Oddly we have also found all our rams will produce white testicle
sacks as they mature.
Tanjar Zebs
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Tanjar Buckeye
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Grandson of Tanjar Zebs
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TANJAR ZEBS
4 YRS OLD |
TANJAR BUCKEYE
3 YRS OLD |
TANJAR BUCKEYE
4 YRS OLD |
Unusual markings
Using Appendix breeding programs allows us to select breeds that best compliment the babydoll to improve conformation, increase breed standard traits such as ear length, feet colour ,to improve and strengthen the fairly small gene pool allows us to make huge strides towards improving the current purebred ,During selection we quite often get some unusual patterns emerging . Here are some of them we have had over the years.
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Upside down Y
The upside-down "Y" marking appears to be a distinctive Tanjar trademark.
This feature was first observed in the Coloured Appendix program in 2012.
It's typically not noticeable at birth but becomes more apparent as the lamb matures. In many cases, the marking does not grow back after the lamb's first shearing.
Currently, this trait is only seen in Coloured Babydolls and can vary in both thickness and shape.
This feature was first observed in the Coloured Appendix program in 2012.
It's typically not noticeable at birth but becomes more apparent as the lamb matures. In many cases, the marking does not grow back after the lamb's first shearing.
Currently, this trait is only seen in Coloured Babydolls and can vary in both thickness and shape.
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The White Nose Spot
This marking often isn’t visible at birth but tends to appear and grow more prominent as the lamb matures.
In our experience, it's a trait that becomes more noticeable with age.
Interestingly, if you look closely, you can sometimes spot it even on white Appendix and Purebred Babydolls—just a fun little detail!.
In our experience, it's a trait that becomes more noticeable with age.
Interestingly, if you look closely, you can sometimes spot it even on white Appendix and Purebred Babydolls—just a fun little detail!.
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Another example
Tanjar Matilda
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A little older
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Old lady
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"Our most refined white nose began subtly, growing more prominent until it looked
as though the ewe had dipped her muzzle in milk
as though the ewe had dipped her muzzle in milk
Mottled
Mottled
1. marked with spots or smears of colour:
1. marked with spots or smears of colour:
"From time to time, we observe sheep developing white markings that were not present at birth. These sheep are all born black, with or without the rapid fading gene. While these markings were once thought to be caused by environmental factors, similar cases are now appearing in flocks in Queensland that share the same genetic bloodlines."
CAMARE BABYDOLL EWE
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Tanjar Babydoll Ewe
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Tanjar wool
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These photos supplied by Camare Babydoll Southdown's of some of their Mottled sheep from the Appendix breeding progrmas they have that have come thru from the Tanjar Bloodlines
Somatic Mutation ?
Tanjar Rumpelstiltskin
This sheep displays a distinct dark patch on an otherwise lighter coat, which could be a somatic mutation.
What suggests a somatic mutation:
What suggests a somatic mutation:
- The main coat color is uniform, but with a clear, irregular dark patch.
- The dark patch does not follow typical symmetrical or breed-specific marking patterns.
- This kind of pattern isn’t usually inherited or part of breed standards—it appears randomly.
- The rest of the sheep appears to have a consistent fading or dilution pattern, but this spot breaks that pattern sharply.
"A somatic mutation could have been a possibility, but the fact that it first appeared in the sire, then in the son, and now in a daughter strongly suggests that it is inherited rather than somatic."
Sire Tanjar Jinto
"We originally suspected the unusual flank spot seen in our coloured Babydoll sheep to be a somatic mutation, as it appeared on an otherwise uniformly marked animal. However, we’ve since identified the same distinctive mark in the sire, as well as in both a daughter and a son. This consistency strongly suggests that the trait is inherited, likely linked to a recessive or modifier gene affecting pigment distribution. We are currently tracking this pattern across our bloodlines and welcome contact from other breeders who may be observing similar markings."
Daughter Tanjar Soy Sauce
BLUE EYES
These photos below have been provided byJohanna Willans of Camare Babydoll Southdown's QLD
of some of her Sheep exhibiting blue eye colour as adults
of some of her Sheep exhibiting blue eye colour as adults
These photos below are of Tanjar Kazoo an appendix bred ewe from Moorit parents
Kazoo is only a lamb in these photos
Kazoo is only a lamb in these photos
