Alcarreña

Alcarrena sheep are a Spanish regional breed from La Alcarria and surrounding parts of central Spain, including areas of Guadalajara and Cuenca. They are rustic sheep shaped by dry hills, cereal stubble, scrub grazing, and village-scale lamb production. The breed is usually treated as a local meat and coarse-wool type rather than a high-output dairy or finewool sheep, with utility resting on adaptation to sparse Mediterranean forage.

For keepers and breeders, Alcarrena sheep call for attention to regional conservation as much as production. Small populations can lose type quickly if crossed casually with larger meat breeds, so source records and flock continuity matter. Wool may have local craft or utility value, but lamb production and ewe hardiness are the practical anchors. The breed's management favors moderate body condition, seasonal grazing knowledge, and selection for sound feet and lambing ability in country that rewards toughness more than rapid indoor finishing.