Ninh Thuan has a year around hot climate, with a short wet season during September and November. The climate has helped the province gain a nationwide reputation as the ‘holy land’ of sheep.


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The sheep in Ninh Thuan are descended from those brought in by the French more than a century ago.





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Today the sheep population is estimated at roughly 100,000, primarily in the districts of Ninh Phuoc, Bac Ai and Thuan Bac.




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At around 8:00 a.m. every day, locals herd the animals to grazing fields where they feed on wild grass. The outdoor activity usually ends at around 4:00-5:00 p.m.




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Hired shepherds live with their families at sheep farms. It is not unusual to see a group of three to four children sharing the herding job.





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Each family owns from just a few to up to 200 sheep, and each family marks their animals with a different colour.






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Due to the hot weather, Ninh Thuan sheep are raised for meat and breeding purposes only. 




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Their scraggly layer of wool obviously does not receive great care, nor is it of much value.





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A sheep here weighs on average 35-40 kilograms when it is about nine months old. 





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Each ewe can give birth to three lambs.





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Kien Thuc/VOV