Kıvırcık

Kıvırcık is a native Turkish sheep of Thrace, the Marmara region, and parts of northwestern Anatolia; its name means curly, a reference often connected with the fleece. It is one of Turkey's important thin-tailed breeds, distinct from many fat-tailed sheep of the interior. Most animals are white or light colored with dark markings on the face, ears, or legs, though local flocks vary. Rams are often horned, ewes are commonly polled, and the breed has been used for lamb, milk, and a medium to coarse wool clip.

In its home districts, Kıvırcık is kept in village and commercial flocks on pasture, crop aftermath, and winter feed, with milk used for regional dairy products and lambs sold for meat. It is appreciated for adapting to the more humid coastal climate of western Turkey, but wet conditions make foot care and parasite control important. Ewes need adequate feed before breeding and during lactation if milk and lamb growth are expected. Because Kıvırcık has been crossed with Merino, Chios, and other breeds in some areas, producers interested in conservation or predictable production should ask about the flock's background.