The Red Maasai (RM), also called Tanganyika sheep, is an East African fat-tailed breed with short, coarse reddish-brown to nearly black hair. Indigenous to Kenya and Tanzania, Maasai pastoralists and neighboring communities rear it for meat, milk, and lard. Historically, these sheep grazed across Kenya’s high-altitude plateaus, the Great Rift Valley escarpments, and central highlands. The breed tolerates feed and water stress, can walk long distances for pasture, and can evade or defend against small predators.
Red Maasai sheep have a relatively large body, with fat tails and slightly fat rumps. Although they exhibit multiple colors, the most common are red, brown, and occasionally pied. Rams reach 70–72 cm at the withers, and ewes 66–68 cm. Mature rams weigh 58–80 kg, and ewes 45–70 kg. They have long drooping ears, and males may carry twisted horns while females are usually polled. Birth weights range from 2.5–2.7 kg, weaning weights from 15–20 kg, and daily weight gains average 128 g. Ewes first lamb at 15–18 months, with a lambing interval of 300–340 days. Their lambing rate is 80–84%, twinning rate 15%, and weaning rate 97%.
The breed demonstrates strong disease resilience. Red Maasai sheep tolerate Haemonchus contortus infestation, bluetongue virus, and high trypanosome challenge. These traits reduce mortality and increase flock growth compared to Dorper sheep. Pre-weaning mortality averages 28%. Crosses with Dorper can improve productivity, but indiscriminate crossbreeding threatens breed purity. The Red Maasai Sheep Breeders Society of Kenya promotes improvement, sustainable use, and conservation of this valuable indigenous breed.