Scottish Blackface Sheep Breed Information

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The Scottish Blackface sheep is a breed of domestic sheep from Scotland. It is the most common breed of domestic sheep in England. The breed is known by some other names such as Kerry, Linton, Blackfaced Highland, Scottish Mountain, Scotch Blackface, Scotch Horn and Scottish Highland. Exact origins of this breed are unknown.

 

The Scottish Blackface sheep was developed on the Anglo-Scottish Border, but it is not clear exactly when it became a distinct breed. The breed replaced the Scottish Dunface or Old Scottish Short-wool, a Northern European short-tailed sheep type probably similar to the modern Shetland sheep breed.

 

This breed epitomises the mountain sheep. Over the years, several types of this breed have developed. But the most common type is the Perth variety, which has a large frame, with a longer coat. And the Perth variety is mainly found in north-east Scotland, Cornwall, Devon and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Blackface sheep breed was first introduced to the United States in June 1861. Currently the breed is raised mainly for meat production. 

Scottish Blackface Sheep Characteristics

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Scottish Blackface sheep is a medium to large sized animal with very beautiful appearance. As the name suggests, face of these animals are black, sometimes with white markings. Their legs are black in color and relatively shorter.  Both rams and ewes are usually horned, and their horns are long and curved.  They are a large-frame breed with long course wool.

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Scottish Blackface ewes are productive and frequently deliver twins which are up quickly to nurse.  Ewes are good mothers and protective of their lambs.

Swayze Inn Farm is artificially inseminating its Scottish Blackface ewes with pure Valais Black Nose semen, to produce (after four generations fore ewes; five generations for rams) its own flock of Valais Blacknose Sheep.