Breed Study: Zwartbles
Zwartbles originated in the Netherlands, they were developed by crossing two of the main types of native sheep: a hornless and short-tailed Friesian milk sheep and a horned Drenthe with hairy fleece.
Breed Study: Manx Loaghtan
Manx Loaghtan is a small primitive breed with big horns, some can have as many as six! And not just the adult rams, ewes and lambs have them too. This is a protected rare breed because it has been on the cusp of extinction a few times.
Breed Study: Marsham
The sheep breed Marsham got its name from the town Marsham in North Yorkshire, England. It is a cross breed produced by crossing a Teeswater ram with a Dalesbred or Swaledale ewe, sometimes a Wensleydale ram is also used.
Breed Study: Lleyn
Pronounced “hleen”, Lleyn is a heritage Welsh breed that has creamy white and bouncy fibre. The breed was developed in northwestern Wales in the early 1800s, Border Leicester bloodlines were introduced to the local sheep on the Lleyn peninsula.
Breed Study: Galway
Galway is currently the only native sheep of Ireland, although it was largely influenced by English Leicesters, in particular Dishley Leicesters, which was introduced by Lord Roscommon in the late 1700s hence they were once called the Roscommon.
Fibre Focus - Cheviot
Cheviot is a lesser known fibre in the hand-spinning community nowadays but it has a long history and its breed can be traced as far back as 1372. It got its name from The Cheviot Hills where it was originally found.