Breed standard

The Babydoll Southdown breed is based on the Southdown with a focus on a short, well-muscled body that makes it suitable for use in vineyards and orchards, as a dual purpose meat and wool sheep and as a terminal sire for maiden ewes. The breed is known for its easy going temperament, attractive appearance including the Babydoll smile, efficient use of feed and good eating with smaller cuts suited to home butchering. The goals of this breed are to produce a short, stocky, easy care, easy to handle sheep with good fertility, easy lambing, good mothering, good lamb survival and good resistance to worms that is a dual purpose meat and wool sheep.

A good Babydoll Southdown should catch the eye with its alertness and balanced appearance, displaying the following characteristics:

HEAD AND FACE
  • Wide, with no sign of a horn.
  • Not too long from eyes to nose.
  • Strong, wide lower jaw. Teeth fitting well up on the pad.
  • Nostrils, full and wide with dark skin preferred.
  • Eyes large and bright. 
  • Ears of medium size and thickness with soft hair or short wool of similar colour to face and level with poll.
  • Fleece on cheeks, forehead and around the eyes not so long as to obstruct vision.
NECK AND SHOULDERS
  • Neck wide at base, strong, short and well set on the shoulder with as few wrinkles as possible.
  • Shoulders well set, level with the back, well covered, not too heavy and allowing free movement, no depression behind the blades.
CHEST AND RIBS
  • Ample width and sufficient depth
  • Ribs well sprung.
  • Fore and hind flanks fully developed
BACK
  • Back long, level and firm with a deep, wide and firm well muscled loin.
HIND QUARTERS (THIGHS AND TWIST)
  • Full, well let down, well-muscled hind saddle.
  • Deep, wide muscling through the twist giving strength to the back legs and freedom of movement.
TAIL
  • Broad, almost level with the spine.
LEGS AND FEET
  • Short length legs, thick with strong bone.
  • Pasterns well sprung but not sagging.
  • Knees square with the body when viewed from the front.
  • Forearms strong and thick with meat.
  • Hind legs with a slightly forward setting from the vertical line of the pin bone.
SCROTUM
  • Good size, well hung, carrying two normal, well developed testicles.
  • One or two testicles not descended or split testicles are a breed disqualification.
UDDER
  • Wide and well attached with two functioning teats.
  • Extra functioning teats are discriminated against. Supernumerary (extra non-functioning) teats are not discriminated against.
SKIN
  • Delicate grey to bright pink on off-white sheep.
  • Dark tones on black sheep.
  • Should not have wrinkles over the body.
FLESH
  • Even and firm handling all over.
FLEECE
  • Wool short, dense and fine texture.
  • Covering the whole of the body down to the hocks and knees.
CARRIAGE
  • Free and active, head well carried.
HEIGHT AT SHOULDER
  • Height below 61cm is preferred.
  • Not above 61cm at one year old (breed disqualification).
  • Not above 62cm in older sheep (breed disqualification).
COLOURS AND MARKINGS
  • Acceptable fleece colours: off-white, black, greys and Moorits.
  • Black preferred for nose leather and hooves.
  • Colour of the hair or wool on the muzzle should be:
    • light tan to brown to cinnamon to mousy grey with even colours preferred for an off-white fleeced sheep
    • Black for black, grey or chocolate fleeced sheep (greying with age is acceptable).
    • Not lacking pigmentation (breed disqualification)
    • Not black faced on off-white fleeced sheep (breed disqualification).
  • Lower leg colour similar to muzzle colour.
  • Sheep should be registered with their birth colour.
  • Colour loss is acceptable.
  • Patches and spotted are acceptable except as listed below.
  • Unacceptable fleece colours and markings (breed disqualifications):
    • Off-white fleeced sheep with a black muzzle and/or legs.
    • Off-white sheep where both the muzzle and the legs are bright white (lacking pigmentation).
    • Black-fleeced sheep with an off-white muzzle and/or legs.
    • Predominately bright white (lacking pigmentation) on body.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
  • Height at shoulder above 61cm at one year old
  • Height at shoulder above 62cm at two or more years old
  • Solid 2.5cm or larger scurs or horns
  • Roman nose
  • Bright solid pink nose and lips or nose and lips without any pigmentation (pale pink/white)
  • Severe under or overbite, with distinct space between teeth and edge of dental pad 
  • Solid white hooves
  • One or both testicles not descended
  • Split testicles
  • Udder with more than two functioning teats
  • Off-white fleeced sheep with a black muzzle and/or legs
  • Off-white fleeced sheep with muzzle and legs both bright white
  • Black-fleeced sheep with an off-white muzzle and/or legs
  • Muzzle lacking pigmentation
  • Predominantly bright white fleece
Babydoll ram
Tanjar Little Spot – Babydoll Southdown ram and AABMGS Australian Champion (photo used with permission)
Babydoll ram
Tanjar Sherlock – Babydoll Southdown ram (Tanjar Stud)
Babydoll ram
Tanjar Jarrah – Babydoll Southdown ram (Tanjar Stud, at Eversley Stud)
Babydoll ewe
Tanjar Little Bear – Babydoll Southdown ewe (Tanjar Stud)
Babydoll lamb
Tanjar Micky – Babydoll Southdown ram (Tanjar Stud)
Babydoll wether
Tanjar Rocky – Babydoll Southdown wether (photo Sonia Tribe)
Babydoll lambs
Tanjar Babydoll Southdown lambs (Tanjar Stud)

Examples of grades of Babydoll Southdown

Babydoll lambs
Tanjar purebred Babydoll Southdown and crossbred lambs (Tanjar Stud)

Registration and grading requirements


General
Sheep accepted into the Australian All Breeds of Miniature Goat & Sheep Society Inc. (AABMGS) as Babydoll Southdown shall be graded and registered as outlined below.

Sheep applying for Purebred grade must be over 18 months of age, and pass inspection against the breed standard.
 
Inspections against the breed standard will be undertaken by Babydoll Southdown breed representatives, which are appointed by the AABMGS Inc. Committee.
 
Inspections will be carried out either in person or photographically depending on location.
 
At all times the AABMGS reserves the right to nominate the percentage and the grade a sheep may represent.
 
All AABMGS members selling Babydoll Southdown sheep shall declare the percentage of each sheep and their grading to all potential buyers.
 
At any time AABMGS reserves the right to have the height measured by a representative of the AABMGS.
 
The AABMGS reserve the right to refuse to register any animals that do not meet the breed standard.
 
It is the responsibility of all owners to check their Certificates for errors and notify the Registrar as soon as possible if any errors are identified.
 
Measuring
 The best tool for measuring sheep is a Piccolo with an attached small spirit level.
 
When measuring sheep, all measurements are to be taken from the highest point of the shoulder (wither) and perpendicular to the ground. If the sheep is not shorn, press down on the wool and rest the arm of the Piccolo on the wither. Ensure the bubble inside the spirit level is central so the height will be accurate.
 
APPENDIX Registration System
 The appendix registry is designed so that valuable genetics can be used to develop Babydoll Southdowns and to widen the gene pool.
 
The owner can measure the height of the Appendix sheep themselves and are to send the relevant photos to the registrar.
 
It is encouraged that members with AABMGS appendix sheep that were registered as lambs send their yearly heights and an updated adult photo to the registrar.
 
All Appendix sheep are considered Crossbred with a Percentage and Grade allocated.
 
The Appendix registry system is made up of the following grades FOUNDATION, D, C, B, A, and AA.

Breeders wanting to sell Appendix lambs must:
Apply for registration, and a grade registration certificate showing the relevant percentage and grade that will be provided by the Registrar.

Foundation Sheep
Sheep of any breed can be recorded as foundation sheep. A foundation sheep is rated as 0% Babydoll Southdown.
 
ASSBA registered sheep that fail to meet the AABMGS breed standard can be registered as Foundation.
 
Lambs from Foundation sheep will be graded as D Grade if both the Sire and Dam are registered with AABMGS, and one of the parents is a Purebred Babydoll Southdown.
 
Information to be provided:
  • Application for Registration
  • Photo of sheep
  • Breed of sheep is known
  • Height to be recorded
 
Grade D (F1)
50% Babydoll Southdown Cross
 
To be registered as a 50% Babydoll Southdown Cross (1st cross or ½ bred), the sheep must have one AABMGS registered Purebred Babydoll Southdown parent or another combination of AABMGS registered parents that delivers the minimum 50% Babydoll Southdown parentage.
 
The height must be a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 62cm.
 
Information to be provided:
  • Application for Registration
  • Photo of sheep
  • Photo showing height of sheep at shoulders
  • Height to be recorded
  • Babydoll Southdown percentage
  • AABMGS purebred sire or dam registration number
 
Grade C (F2)
75% Babydoll Southdown Cross
 
To be registered as a 75% Babydoll Southdown (2nd cross or ¾ bred), the sheep must have a AABMGS registered Purebred Babydoll Southdown parent and a registered Grade D parent or another combination of AABMGS registered parents that delivers the minimum 75% Babydoll Southdown parentage.
 
The height must be a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 62cm.
 
Information to be provided:
  • Application for Registration
  • Photo of sheep
  • Photo showing height of sheep at shoulders
  • Babydoll Southdown percentage
  • AABMGS sire and dam registration numbers and grades
 
Grade B (F3)
87.5% Babydoll Southdown Cross
 
To be registered as an 87.5% Babydoll Southdown Cross (3rd cross or 7/8 bred), the sheep must have a AABMGS registered Purebred Babydoll Southdown parent and a registered Grade C parent or another combination of AABMGS registered parents that delivers the minimum 87.5% Babydoll Southdown parentage.
 
The height must be a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 62cm. (Maximum of 60cm being ideal)
 
Information to be provided:
  • Application for Registration
  • Photo of sheep
  • Photo showing height of sheep at shoulders
  • Babydoll Southdown percentage
  • AABMGS sire and dam registration numbers and grades.
 
Grade A (F4)
93.75% Babydoll Southdown Cross
 
To be registered as a 93.75% Babydoll Southdown Cross (4th cross or 15/16 bred), the sheep must have a AABMGS registered Purebred Babydoll parent and a registered Grade B parent or another combination of AABMGS registered parents that delivers the minimum 93.75% Babydoll Southdown parentage.
 
The height must be a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 62cm. (Maximum of 60cm being ideal)
 
Information to be provided:
  • Application for Registration
  • Photo of full sheep
  • Photo showing height of sheep at shoulders
  • Babydoll Southdown percentage
  • AABMGS sire and dam registration numbers and grades
 
Once a sheep is over 18 months old it can be inspected for full Purebred Babydoll Southdown registration.
 
To be registered as purebred Babydoll Southdown, the sheep must satisfy all requirements for Grade A or Grade AA, and meet the Babydoll Southdown breed standard.
 
Information to be provided:
  • Application for Upgrade to Purebred
  • Photos of full sheep from each side, front, rear, udder or scrotum, and teats
  • Photo showing height of sheep at shoulders
 
 Purebred Registration Program
 Sheep registered Purebred with AABMGS will be considered 100%
 
The offspring from two Purebred registered AABMGS Babydoll Southdowns will be considered Purebred.

Purebred Lambs
Breeders wanting to register Babydoll Southdown lambs must apply for registration and a grade certificate showing the relevant percentage and grade will be issued by the registrar.
 
It is encouraged that members with AABMGS Purebred lambs send their yearly heights and an updated adult photo to the registrar.
 
The AABMGS reserves the right to request that the height be submitted for any sheep that have been registered as Purebred lambs. 
 
 
Additional Information
AABMGS Purebred Babydoll Southdown sheep should meet the breed and height standard but not all purebred animals of any species are guaranteed to be of exceptional quality.
 
All buyers should ask the seller for the current age and height of all potential purchases.
 
The ideal height for a Purebred Babydoll Southdown sheep is a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 60cm.
 
Sheep between 41 to 43cm and over 60 to 62cm are not ideal but they can prove very useful in well thought out breeding programs.
 
Sheep less than 41cm and over 62cm cannot be registered as a Babydoll Southdown with AABMGS.
 
Coloured Babydoll Southdown
 
To be registered as a coloured Grade A Babydoll Southdown the sheep must have one registered coloured parent per generation back to and including the great-great-grandparents.
Information to be provided for registration is the same as for Grade A.
 
Purebred Coloured sheep Registered with AABMGS will need to provide DNA testing results and have their DNA results published on Premium Breed.
 
Ewes or rams that are born white from one coloured parent and one white parent will have APCX placed on their paperwork.
 
To be registered as an off-white Purebred Babydoll Southdown, the Grade A or AA  Babydoll Southdown must have a pedigree back to and including the great-great-grandparents that consist entirely of off-white sheep
 
ASSBA Registered Sheep Start-Up Phase
Open until 30/06/2025
The start-up phase has been devised to allow sheep registered with ASSBA as Babydoll to enter the AABMGS Flock book as Purebred as long as they meet the set requirements.
 
It is the aim of the AABMGS to allow sheep that meet the breed and height standard to be registered to ensure the gene pool is widened. 
 
To register a sheep with AABMGS that was bred under the ASSBA registration system, the owner must provide evidence that the sheep was bred by an ASSBA registered breeder.
 
Once a sheep is over 18 months old it can be inspected for full Purebred Babydoll Southdown registration.
 
To be registered as Purebred Babydoll Southdown, the sheep must be over 18 months of age, satisfy all requirements and pass the AABMGS breed inspection.
 
The height at the time of registration must be a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 62cm for a sheep which is 18 months or older.
 
AABMGS recognise the use of a modern Southdown in a breeding program but wish to discourage the use of Southdown ewes or rams from being used to produce Babydoll Southdowns.
 
All Southdown sheep that do not meet the Babydoll Southdown registration criteria can be registered as Foundation.
 
In the case of any ASSBA registered Southdown sheep not passing the breed inspection it is encouraged that the owner breed their sheep to a AABMGS registered Babydoll Southdown, and make an application for the offspring to be registered using the appendix system.  
 
The following information is required for inspection when applying for purebred registration at 18 months old (or older):

  • Application for registration
  • Photos showing full sheep in full wool from the front, both sides and behind
(wool photos can be taken at any time during the year of application)
  • Photos showing full sheep shorn from one side and a photo of its face
(shorn photos can be taken at any time during the year of application)
  • Ear tag photo
  • Photo of the entire sheep with the measuring stick (Piccolo) in the correct position and the height clearly legible
  • ASSBA Registration Papers in name of owner or
    • If the owner is not an ASSBA registered breeder they can provide the ASSBA combined transfer and registration certificate supplied by the breeder, this form is to be signed by the breeder with their flock number clearly visible.
  • The original breeder’s name
 
At any time AABMGS reserves the right to have the height measured by a representative of AABMGS.
 
A sheep accepted for registration as purebred Babydoll Southdown will be considered 100% Babydoll Southdown for the purposes of calculating the percentage.

Calculating percentages
The estimated percentage of purebred genetics in an offspring is the average of the percentage of Babydoll Southdown genetics of the parents.
 
Examples:
​
A registered Purebred Babydoll Southdown ram is rated as 100% and a Foundation ewe is rated as 0%.
The average of the parents is (100% + 0%) divided by 2 which gives 50%, meeting the requirement for registration as Grade D.
 
For a Grade C ewe (75%) and a Grade B ram (87.5%), the average of the parents is (75% + 87.5%) divided by 2 which gives 81.25%.
This is rounded down to 75%, meeting the requirement for registration as Grade C.

 
Grade AA
The Special grade Grade AA will no longer be issued
 
Grade AA (Progeny Grading for the existing Grade A Southdown ewe only)
This grade only applies to previously registered small Modern Southdown ewes with AABMGS as Grade A
 
Offspring who have one grade A Southdown ewe parent and one Purebred Babydoll Southdown ram parent were initially registered as Grade AA.
 
These offspring will be entitled to be upgraded to Purebred at two years of age, as long as they meet the AABMGS requirements for a Purebred.If they do not meet the requirements, they will remain registered as Grade AA.
 
Offspring of a Grade AA parent that has failed to meet the requirements may still be entitled to be upgraded to Purebred on their own merits once they reach 2 years of age.  
 
Information to be provided for registration is the same as for Grade A.
 
Grade A Southdown ewes can only be bred to Purebred Registered AABMGS Babydoll Southdown rams for any offspring to be eligible for registration.
 
Any future offspring bred from these Grade A Southdown ewes from other grades will no longer be registered.
 
ASSBA registered Southdown ewes that have been registered with AABMGS as a Grade A Babydoll, prior to this Grading System Update dated 19/04/2021, will have it noted on their pedigree in Premium Breed.
 
Showing
The AABMGS show height for the Babydoll Southdown is a minimum of 43cm and a maximum of 60cm.
Babydoll ewes
Tanjar crossbred Babydoll Southdown ewes (Tanjar Stud)

Striped Babydolls

Picture
Tanjar Zebs was born black but there was some white in her fleece. Photo provided by Tanjar Stud
Picture
When Zebs was shorn, these stripes were revealed. Photo provided by Tanjar Stud
Picture
Tanjar Zebs. Photo provided by Tanjar Stud
Picture
As Tanjar Zebs grew older the striping pattern grew out. This photo shows Zebs at around 4 years of age. Photo provided by Tanjar Stud
Picture
Tanjar Zebs' son Tanjar Buckeye. Photo Tanjar Stud
Example of photos for Grade A and Purebred Babydoll registrations