The Formation of the
Babydoll Sheep Association of Australia

Babydoll sheep remain a rare breed in Australia. With increasing interest from smallholders seeking manageable livestock, demand for Babydolls has grown significantly. However, in the absence of a clear breed standard and coordinated information, buyers often faced confusion and disappointment, sometimes acquiring sheep that did not meet the traditional Babydoll type.

To address these challenges, a group of dedicated breeders established the Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association of Australia Inc. (OEBSSAA) in 2017. The first Annual General Meeting was held in 2018 at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo, Victoria.

The Association aimed to provide guidance, foster connections, and advocate for the breed. A Facebook page was also launched to facilitate member engagement and knowledge sharing.

One key issue identified by members was the difficulty in locating Babydolls in the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) Flock Registry, as they were listed only under the broader Southdown category. Furthermore, the modern Southdown breed had diverged significantly in type and size from the original Babydoll form and Babydoll sheep no longer fitted the Southdown Breed Description.

The Association successfully lobbied ASSBA and Southdown Australia for a separate listing to distinguish Babydolls and this occurred for the first time in the 2021 Flock Registry. A condition of the separate listing was Babydoll sheep would no longer be called Babydoll Southdowns but be referred to as Babydolls by ASSBA Registered Flock owners.

Following this success, and to meet naming requirements from both ASSBA and Southdown Australia, the Association was renamed the Babydoll Sheep Association of Australia Inc. (BSAA) in 2020.

BSAA

About Us

BSAA Objectives

The BSAA strive to be the official Association for the maintenance of the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association's (ASSBA) Breed Standard for heritage Babydoll sheep;

  1. Liaise with ASSBA and be a voice for our heritage Babydoll sheep;
  2. Educate breeders, prospective breeders and the general public about heritage Babydoll sheep, their history and all aspects of their care;
  3. Assist in the promotion and marketing of heritage Babydoll sheep, including the market page on the BSAA website, where members may advertise their ASSBA registered Babydoll sheep free of charge;
  4. Maintain three Facebook pages; our BSAA Inc Members’ Only page, our BSAA Babydoll Sheep Breeders and Fan’s Network (Australia), and the BSAA Flock Finder’s Network. These platforms allow members to share information, seek advice, restock or destock their Babydoll flocks and showcase their sheep.
  5. Encourage and develop showing guidelines as the number of heritage Babydoll sheep increases and breeder knowledge and experience expands.
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BSAA Aims

  1. To preserve the heritage and ensure the future of Babydoll sheep in Australia;
  2. To encourage and promote the responsible ownership and breeding of Babydoll sheep;
  3. To establish a national communication network for breeders and owners;
  4. To develop, maintain, and uphold the Showing Guidelines and ASSBA Breed Standard