Jacob's cattle Taxidermy full body mount - Jacob - 50 cm - 40 cm - 40 cm

Among the many stories about ancient breeds of spotted sheep there is the one of Jacob told in the Bible. Jacob took all the spotted and speckled sheep from his father-in-law Laban’s flock and had them breed. Because of the resemblance to the animals described in the biblical account, the Jacob breed took its name from this figure, probably during the 20th century. Some believe that the modern breed is the same one mentioned in the Bible (though the supporting genetic evidence is limited) and that it accompanied the westward expansion of human civilization through North Africa, Sicily, Spain, and finally England. However, researcher Elisha Gootwine argues that the resemblance to the biblical story is only a coincidence and that the breed did not originate in ancient Israel.