The Ladoum, star sheep of Tabaski in Senegal

Every year as Tabaski (Eid al-Adha) approaches, Senegal lives to the rhythm of the sheep. On Dakar's markets as in the media, one silhouette towers above all others: the Ladoum — immense, elegant, spectacular.

One misconception deserves correcting: elite Ladoums are almost never sacrificed for Tabaski. A top breeding ram is worth millions — sometimes tens of millions — of FCFA: you don't slaughter it, you breed it. Sacrificed animals are generally other breeds or off-standard Ladoums, while champions pursue their careers in the fold and the show ring.

Tabaski remains the breed's great moment of visibility: the season when farms open their doors, prices are announced and champions are admired. The international press has taken note, from National Geographic to Al Jazeera: the Ladoum has become a national symbol far beyond the religious festival.

Owning a Ladoum in Senegal is a marker of success comparable to a fine car — with an emotional dimension on top: a Ladoum often lives with the family, pampered, washed, trained. That singular bond between owner and animal is what makes the Ladoum far more than a festival sheep.

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