About Saloia sheep and the saloias from Casal da Freira

Saloia wool, fine and crimpy.

In 2015, when we did our study on Portuguese wools, one of the breeds that surprised us the most was precisely the Saloia, due to its fineness and quality. Not that it would have been difficult for one of the breeds to surprise us, given how little we knew about the diversity of wools produced by local breeds at the time, but it was still a nice surprise!

It is said that the origin of this breed is a cross between Spanish merinos and the sheep that already existed in the rustic area of Lisbon. It's therefore not surprising that their wool, when of good quality, is more like Merino type wool, fine and crimpy. But while these sheep's main vocations were originally meat and wool, with the devaluation of this raw material at the end of the 19th century (different times, same problem), the animals were selected to specialise in milk production, which came to characterise the breed from then on.

It's been a few years since I looked at the numbers for this breed. In 2015 the total number of animals registered in the genealogical book was 4111 animals (males and females). In 2024 we have 1695 animals (1625 females and 70 males). There is a general decline in numbers for indigenous breeds, but it is nevertheless worrying. This decline in numbers is generally associated with replacement by animals from exotic breeds that are more productive and therefore more economically profitable.

The Saloia, a milk sheep, doesn't actually see its milk associated with a specific product, which probably prevents this raw material from being valorised, reducing producers' interest in having this breed. We could look at the better-known example of the Bordaleira Serra da Estrela sheep, whose milk is associated with the production of certified products such as Serra da Estrela cheese. Or to the Churra Galega Mirandesa breed, with the Mirandese lamb, where exemplary work has also been done to create and publicise the regional certification in order to enhance the breed. From these cases we conclude that certifying the origin of a local raw material, be it milk, meat or wool, and associating it with products with high marketing potential is a mandatory path if we want to enhance a local breed.

In the case of wool, despite its potential quality, we can't say that it has been valued either. As is almost always the case in Portugal, the quality of shearing is low and the cost can be high depending on the number of animals sheared, making it difficult for producers to make a profit. Skirting and selection are not done, which in a breed with such a small herd means that the wool is necessarily destined for industrial processing that is not very differentiating. This reduces the possibility of greater appreciation by a public that could appreciate real, pure Saloia wool.

This year we wanted to find a Saloia sheep producer who was aligned with our values and with whom we could collaborate not only in the purchase of wool, but also in other initiatives that we have been developing in favour of Portuguese wool. That producer, Mr António Cardoso from Casal da Freira, came to us, and very well, through Guida's hand.

Since the time of Mr Cardoso's father, there have always been 50-60 Saloias at Casal da Freira, but over the years they have been crossed with exotic breeds, and the breed had been lost.
It was in 2019, at a presentation by the Loures Municipality and the DGAV, dedicated to native breeds, that Mr Cardoso again became interested in the Saloias and the characteristics of this native breed. In 2020, he began to replace his flock of cross-bred sheep with Saloia animals registered in the genealogical book, starting with just 3 ewes and 1 ram from different farms to ensure genetic diversity. The process of acquiring pure Saloias is a difficult one, not only because the breed's numbers are extremely low, but also because existing producers are relatively closed, making it difficult to buy animals to create new flocks.
His aim is not to have a large flock, but one with well-selected animals that can even be bought by other producers interested in owning and working with the Saloia breed, making the most of it in its three possible productive vocations: milk, meat and wool.

After chasing some Saloias up the hill to take their photo for our album of Portuguese sheep breeds, we got ready for shearing the next day.