Scottish Blackface

The Blackface or Scottish Blackface is a British breed of sheep. It is the most common sheep breed of the United Kingdom. Despite the name, it did not originate in Scotland, but south of the border.[1]:156

A Scottish Blackface in the Outer Hebrides
A Scottish Blackface ram, circa 1890

History

The origins of the breed are uncertain. It was developed on the Anglo-Scottish border but it is not clear exactly when it became a distinct breed. It replaced the earlier Scottish Dun-face or Old Scottish Shortwool, a Northern European short-tailed sheep type probably similar to the modern Shetland.[1]:156

There are several types of Blackface in the United Kingdom, including the Perth variety, which is large-framed and coarse-woollen, and mainly found in north-east Scotland, Devon, Cornwall and Northern Ireland; the medium-framed Lanark type, with shorter wool, found in much of Scotland and in parts of Ireland; and the Northumberland Blackface, which is large with relatively soft wool.[2]

Characteristics

Blackfaces are horned, and as their name suggests, they usually have a black face (but sometimes with white markings), and black legs.

Use

This breed is primarily raised for meat.[3] The wool is very coarse, with a fibre diameter of 28–38 μm and a staple length of about 250–350 mm.[4]

References
  1. M.L. Ryder (1968). Sheep and the Clearances in the Scottish Highlands: A Biologist's View. Agricultural History Review 16 (2): 155–158. Archived 9 March 2006.
  2. The Blackface Breed. Blackface Sheep Breeders Association. Accessed November 2019.
  3. Breed data sheet: Blackface / United Kingdom (Sheep). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed November 2019.
  4. Scottish Blackface. Directory of U.S. Sheep Breeds. American Sheep Industry Association, Production, Education and Research Council. Archived 19 July 2011.
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