National Association of breeders breed Spanish

ASSAFE is the national breeders association of assaf. The cooperative comprises 128 farmers and approximately 140,000 ewes and rams. In 2005 was officially acknowledged by the Ministry of Agriculture as a collaborating entity in maintaining the breed register. Created in April of 2002, it manages the Genetic Breeding Program of the breed, carrying out a constant improvement in the breeding farms belonging to the association. After the official recognition of assaf in 2003 as a race of third countries adapted in Spain, in 2005 the Regulation of the Genealogical Book of the Assaf breed was approved.

The Spanish Assaf is a breed considered variant of the Assaf originating in Israel.

It was introduced in the 70s in certain areas of the Spanish geography, highlighting its dissemination in communities such as Castilla y León, where it was used in crosses by absorption with local breeds.

As a selection criterion, the quantity of milk produced (standard lactation) is used for a specific number of days. Typified lactation at 150 days has been used as the main character, given the high production levels of Assaf sheep and the persistence of their lactation compared to other breeds. Data regarding milk yield, quality (fat, protein) and reproduction are available.

Extensive genetic-selection programmes are being run to increase milk production, resistant to transmissible spongiform encephalopaties in addition to programmes to improve udder morphology (2015) and new characters.