Black Faced Sheep on a rock in the Scottish Highlands GMM 1066
The Scottish Blackface is the most common breed of domestic sheep in the United Kingdom. This tough and adaptable breed is often found in the more exposed locations, such as the Scottish Highlands or roaming on the moors of Dartmoor. It is also known as Blackfaced Highland, Kerry, Linton, Scottish Mountain, Scottish Highland, Scotch Blackface and Scotch Horn. Blackfaces are horned in both sexes, and as their name suggests, they usually have a black face (but sometimes with white markings), and black legs. Blackface ewes are excellent mothers and will often attempt to defend their lambs against predators. They are good milkers and are able to yield a lamb crop and a wool clip even when on marginal pastures. The breed spread from the border areas during the 19th century to the highlands and the Scottish islands. They also crossed to Northern Ireland and the US. Scottish Blackface wool is a specialty wool in a class of its own. There are variations in type of fleece according to the way the sheep were bred. In a general way, there're the south west type (short wool) and the central Scotland type (long wool). The southwest type is the finer, with a Bradford count of forty or so, generally classed as short or medium, ewes fleece of 3 to 4 1/2 lb. greasy. The central type is a stronger wool classed as long or deep strong; this type gives a ewe fleece of 5 to 61/2 lb, greasy. GMM 1066
Size: 6086px × 4013px
Location: Strathspey Inverness-shire Highland Region Scotland UK
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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