Young herder revives rare Tan sheep breed in Ordos

Tan sheep raised by Ordos herder Habure. [Photo/Nuan News]

A post-90s herder in Ordos city is helping revive the rare Tan sheep breed, a traditional grassland livestock variety listed in China's National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources.

Known for their tender meat and mild taste, Tan sheep once thrived on the grasslands of Otog Front Banner in Inner Mongolia. In recent years, however, fewer herders have been raising the breed, leading to shrinking populations and concerns over genetic decline.

Determined to preserve the breed, a young local man named Habure left his city job and returned to the grasslands to become a full-time herder. Although he studied art design in college and had little knowledge of animal husbandry at first, he picked up breeding skills from experienced local herders, gradually becoming skilled at identifying purebred Tan sheep.

Habure adds feed for Tan sheep. [Photo/Nuan News]

Today, Habure raises more than 350 of these on his ranch. As the breed quality improved, demand for the lambs also increased, attracting more nearby herders to breed Tan sheep.

The revival effort has been supported by local government policies. Since 2022, Otog Front Banner has provided annual subsidies for herders raising more than 100 purebred breeding ewes, while also offering training in breeding, epidemic prevention, and lamb raising. Each sheep is tagged and included in a breeding record system to help preserve the genetic line.

After three years on the grassland, Habure has been transformed from an art student into a dedicated herder, helping to bring the traditional Tan sheep breed back to the prairie.