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Among the autochthonous breeds in Spain, the Ripollesa sheep breed is the most common in Catalonia. It is rustic, with a convex profile, white wood of entrefine type and a characteristic pigmentation. Following the recommendations of the FAO, the morphologic characterization of the Ripollesa ewe has been carried out, as well as the analysis of its variability. A quantitative study from twelve zoometric measures and weight was carried out in a total of 224 females. The format of the Ripollesa breed is very similar to that of the Xisqueta and Canaria breeds, and has greater format than the Gallega and WAD sheep. Factor 1 (47,58%) describes volume, whereas factor 2 (12,31%) represents height and ear length. A cluster analysis allows us to differentiate four groups. The observed differences can be attributed to the selective history and origin of populations and to geographic location and management of the farm.
