NSA Regions

NSA Regions

Know your Sheep

There are thought to be more sheep breeds in the UK than any other country in the world. The breeds listed here enjoy affiliation to the National Sheep Association. For more information about NSA breed society affiliation email enquiries@nationalsheep.org.uk.

Sheep Breeds

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Badger Face Welsh Mountain

Badger Face Welsh Mountain Torddu, the Welsh name meaning 'black belly' have distinct black stripes above the eyes and a black stripe running from under the chin to the belly and continuing underneath to the end of the tail. The legs are black with a tan stripe. The fleece can be white, grey or light brown, but preference is given to the lighter shades. The wool should be firm and medium length (7-10 cm). The Torwen, the Welsh name meaning 'white belly' show the reverse colouring, but with a smaller eye stripe. Their bodies should be compact and strong and of medium size. Both Torddu and Torwen rams are horned and weigh up to 90kg. Ewes are polled and weigh up to 60kg. www.badgerfacesheep.co.uk

Balwen Welsh Mountain

Balwen Welsh Mountain The Balwen Welsh Mountain sheep is a sheep for all seasons. One of the original Welsh breeds of sheep the Balwen remains as one of the most striking and versatile of all the rare breed sheep. The sheep hasa base colour of black, dark brown or dark grey. It has a white stripe running from the pole of the head to the top of the nose, four white feet and half white tail. Average mature ewe weighs 40-50kgs, rams 45-60kgs. www.balwensheepsociety.com

Beltex

Beltex The Beltex is a medium sized sheep, long in the body. It is wedge-shaped from a narrow shoulder to a distinctive large, double-muscled hindquarter. The head is generally white in colour but may have black, blue or brown shadings or patches. The fore face is short and thick. The fleece is tight, dense of medium staple length. Average male bodyweight 95kg. www.beltex.co.uk

Berrichon

Berrichon The Berrichon is a large white faced, medium boned, well fleshed sheep originating from the Cher region of France. Its primary role has been that of a terminal sire producing quick growing easy fleshed lambs capable of being finished at a range of weights to suit varying market specifications and demands. Berrichon breeders have concentrated on breeding sheep which can lamb easily and are active at birth being quickly on to their feet and suckling. The Berrichon has a triangular shaped head and is smooth over the shoulder and hip making it an ideal choice for gimmers, ewe hoggs and all first time lambers. The Berrichon also has a tight skin and the wool is of a very high standard which has in the past been exported for use in high class wool products in Japan. www.berrichonsociety.com

Beulah speckled face

Beulah Speckled Face Face and legs are free from wool and distinctly speckled. Ewes are hornless, as are the majority of rams. A long head is preferred with erect ears pointing slightly forward. White wool, free from any other colours, varying from high quality to longer coarser fibres. This speckled-face sheep has been bred on the hills of Eppynt, Llanafan, Abergwesyn and Llanwrtyd Wells for over one hundred years. www.beulahsheep.co.uk

Black Welsh Mountain

Black Welsh Mountain Hardiness and self-reliance are the outstanding features of this ancient breed. Hill flocks of this breed, in normal conditions, require no supplementary feeding, they thrive on the short rough grasses and herbage of the unploughable uplands. They are an ideal breed for the smallholder as well as being used in their natural environment on the hill. They are a good breed for children to work with as they are shown on halters and the lambs are easy to handle. They cross well with terminal breeds to produce good quality tasty meat both as a crossbred and as a purebred. Average mature ewe weighs 45kg, rams 60-65kg. www.blackwelshmountain.org.uk

Blackface

Blackface The most numerous of British breeds, the Blackface is found over a wide spectrum of hill and marginal ground throughout Great Britain and Ireland. All Blackfaces are horned, with black or black and white face and legs. The fleece should be free of black fibre, and can vary from short, fine wool used for carpets and tweeds to strong coarse, which is mainly sold for the Italian mattress trade. Influenced by climate, environment and grazing quality several distinct types have evolved within the breed and are generally identified by the centres at which they are sold. The Perth type, a large framed sheep with a medium to heavy coat, is found mainly in North East Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Lanark type is dominant in Central and Southern Scotland and the Borders. It is of medium length, with a shorter, denser coat than that of the Perth type. The Newton Stewart or Galloway type is a compact, burly sheep with a short, thick rain resistant coat, and is found, in its native South West Scotland, and many of the hard wet areas of the West of Scotland, the Hebrides, and Ireland. In the North of England the large framed, soft-coated Northumberland Blackface is influential in the breeding of the North of England Mule. Average adult bodyweight: Upland 70kg; Ave./good hill 50-65kg; poor hill 45-50kg www.scottish-blackface.co.uk

Bleu Du Maine The Bleu du Maine is a large grassland sheep with slate blue/grey colouring in its head. It has a very alert eye, large nostrils and ears and no horns. Average mature ewe weighs 80-120kg, rams 110-180kg. www.bleudumaine.co.uk

Blue Texel Blue Texel sheep are one of the most recent breeds to be imported into the UK.Blue Texels are quickly gaining popularity with commercial sheep farmers as terminal sires for prime lamb production. www.blue-texel-sheep.com

Bluefaced Leicester

Bluefaced Leicester The Bluefaced Leicester is the single most significant sheep breed in the UK today, with nearly 50% of the UK’s commercial breeding flock being sired by the Bluefaced Leicester. Of the remaining 50% around half are being mated with Bluefaced Leicester rams to produce Mule ewes. The great strength of the Blueface, is that no matter what breed of sheep it’s crossed with, its progeny the Mule proves a better commercial ewe than its mother. The Bluefaced Leicester’s improve prolificacy, mothering ability, ease of management and most importantly financial return.The breed started in Northumberland around 100 years ago. Over the last half century the breed has spread all over the UK, especially into Scotland and Wales where, in the last ten years, some of the breeds top stock has been produced. www.blueleicester.co.uk

Border Leicester A distinctive large white sheep, long in body, well sprung ribs with well developed chest and gigot, proud and graceful with white densely planted wool, 18-20cms in length. Average mature ewe weighs 80-100kg, rams 125-150kg. www.borderleicesters.co.uk

Brecknock Hill Cheviot

Brecknock Hill Cheviot White face and legs. Ears erect with no ruff of wool behind them. No wool on face or legs below knee or hock. Broad, strong back. Rams are occasionally horned, ewes are polled. Average mature ewe weighs 60kg, rams 90kg.

British Milksheep

British Milksheep The British Milksheep is a medium to large polled sheep with a predominantly white face and legs. The head is usually free from wool, the muzzle broad and the ears long. The ewe is naturally prolific and is noted for its quiet temperament which is important in the management of high performance sheep. The conformation of the ewe, particularly the roomy pelvic area, ensures that lambing is easy.The rams have a long body and good hindquarters. They are robust and active being keen and vigorous workers all through the year.Average mature ewe weighs 80kg, rams 110kg. www.britishmilksheep.com

Cambridge

Cambridge The Cambridge is a very prolific breed that has particular value in crossbreeding.The Cambridge is a dark faced medium size sheep. The mature weight of rams and ewes is 100 kg and 67 kg respectively. They are long lived with excellent teeth and are hardy and resilient to environmental extremes. Ewes lamb easily, are good mothers and the incidence of mastitis is low.The breed’s high prolificacy means that it can be mated with a variety of other breeds and crossbreeds to produce, high performance commercial ewes. www.cambridge-sheep.org.uk

Charmoise Hill

Charmoise Hill The Charmoise is a polled white faced and white legged sheep with a deep body coated in a tight fleece of good quality. It has the most excellent conformation with short neck well muscled loins and strong gigots. It is light of bone and very alert and lively from birth. Average mature ewe weighs 65-70kg, rams 80-90kg. www.charmoisesheep.co.uk

Charollais The Charollais is a medium to large sized sheep, long, well muscled with thick, deep gigots. The body is long with a well muscled broad loin and wide deep chest. The head is free from wool, pinkish/grey in colour sometimes with spots. The line of the shoulders should retain a wedge shape which is so important for ease of lambing. The legs are clean, quite short, coloured but never very dark. The front legs should not be set too wide apart and animal must be well balanced. The gigots are well developed, thick and deep. The breed is primarily a terminal sire and the fleshing quality is of the highest importance. Excessive bone is undesirable in the breed; the fineness of bone contributes to the high killing out percentage achieved by the breed. The fleece is white, fine and dense, the staple length quite short. Average mature ewe weighs 80-100kg, rams 100-150kg. www.charollaissheep.com

Cheviot

Cheviot A white faced Hill sheep from the Scottish Borders. The ewe has fine hard white hair on her face over the crown and on her legs which should have a fine, flat quality bone. The fleece should be dense and firm with no kemp or coloured hair. The rams can have horns. www.tumpline.com/cheviot

Clun Forest

Clun Forest The Clun Forest is a very adaptable breed, living equally happily in the down lands of the South of England or the hills of Wales and Scotland. They have a low mortality rate and are highly resistant to disease. They have an alert appearance with a clean open dark-brown face, with a characteristic covering of wool on the top of the head and ears that are carried high and forward. The body has a strong muscular neck carried high from fine shoulders, lengthy good back, deep rib, strong loin, good hock and a deep and well rounded rear.Clun ewes are protective and productive mothers. Longevity is a strong point of this breed.The Clun ewes are used for either the production of cross bred ewes. Pure Clun lambs are highly prized for their meat which is lean, dark and flavoursome.The fleece is generally of a high quality and is very popular in the production of knitting wools and felts.

Cotswold

Cotswold The Cotswold is a large, polled, longwool breed. The head is carried well up, the back long, ribs well sprung, the frame and legs strong, giving an overall imposing appearance. The head has a pronounced forelock of wool and a white face, with dark skin on the nose. The high quality wool is white, lustrous and long-stapled. Average mature ewe weighs 85kg, rams 140kg. www.cotswoldsheepsociety.co.uk

Dalesbred

Dalesbred A hill sheep with black face and distinctive white mark on each side of the nostrils, with nose-end becoming grey; legs also have clear black and white markings. Wool is plentiful with dense undercoat and curly on outside. Average mature ewe weighs up to 45-60kg, rams 55-75kg (depending on environment). www.dalesbredsheep.co.uk

Derbyshire Gritstone

Derbyshire Gritstone Clean cut black and white marked face and legs clear of wool. Polled in both sexes. The Derbyshire Gritstone is a handsome sheep of aristocratic lineage, big, flat bones, strong and alert. www.derbyshiregritstone.org.uk

Devon And Cornwall Longwool

Devon And Cornwall Longwool The head is well covered with long curly wool. Both sexes are polled. The body is covered in long curly, white wool. Well proportioned with a strong wide and long top, with well sprung rib giving plenty of volume. The rear being well muscled with good conformation. Average mature ewe weighs 100kg, rams 136kg.

Devon Closewool

Devon Closewool The Devon Closewool is a medium sized, white faced, hornless sheep with a dense white fleece of medium length and staple which contributes to its valued quality of hardiness. Average mature ewe weighs 55-60kg, rams 90kg. www.devonclosewool.co.uk

Dorper Ram

Dorper (and White Dorper) The Dorper is a unique sheep which appears white but is in fact genetically a black sheep with a huge white spot covering its entire body except for the very striking black head (black headed Dorper). The Dorper is a quality meat sheep with all it's easy care attributes highly developed like no other breed in the world.The White Dorper has the same breed standards as the Dorper (Black headed) except where colour and markings are described. The White Dorper still has all the same labour saving qualities as the Dorper together with a great carcass. But as its name implies the White Dorper is genetically a white sheep therefore all it's progeny should be white except when mated to a black sheep. www.dorpersheepsociety.co.uk

Dorset Down

Dorset Down The Dorset Down is an active, medium sized short woolled sheep. Strong legs support a deep chested, long sheep with well fleshed hindquarters and fine wool. www.dorsetdownsheep.org.uk

Dorset Horn & Poll Dorset

Dorset Horn & Poll Dorset Ewes are of medium size and are naturally prolific, skin colour is pink whilst the face, legs and ears are white. Rams show a bold masculine appearance and also carry good fleshing throughout. The wool of both the Horn and Poll is of the highest quality, not only is it fine and densely grown but is particularly white which helps it find a ready market in times of plenty. Average mature ewe weighs 85kg, rams 120kg. www.dorsetsheep.org

Easy Care Easy Care is a revolutionary breed of sheep which requires minimal shepherding and veterinary care, sheds its wool in the summer, does not need shearing and yet offers excellent meat yields and lambing ratios. The breed is now well established in Britain and abroad and is proving extremely popular and successful with breeders in today's farming environment. The Easy Care Sheep Society was formed to promote this wonderful breed and to ensure it's continued development. www.easycaresheep.com

Epynt Hardy Speckled Sheep Epynt Hardy Speckled Sheep are a commercial, easy-care breed and their primary purpose is to perform well in the upland environment all year round with limited supplementary feeding. They are a long living, good mouthing sheep producing lambs which are easy to finish. They are a heavy boned hill sheep which is stocky and sturdy in stature with a speckled face and legs, of grey brown or black clean of wool. The ewes are polled and the rams usually horned. Their attributes include a strong hefting ability, excellent mothering ability and being a good breed for crossing. Average mature ewe weighs 40-50kgs, rams 60-70kgs.

Exmoor Horn

Exmoor Horn The Exmoor Horn is white faced, with horns, cherry coloured skin and a white fleece of medium length and good quality. www.exmoorhornbreeders.co.uk/

Friesland

Friesland The Friesland is a large framed animal with rams weighing up to 120kg. In common with all dairy animals it possesses extremely good length, a large roomy pelvis, narrow head and fine boned limbs. The breed is naturally polled and has a long bald tail. The fleece is pure white and of high quality, medium staple fine wool, yielding up to 5kg, usually graded by the British Wool Board as Bradford Count 48-52. Average mature ewe weighs 50-55kg, rams above 75kg.

Gotland

Gotland Description Fine-boned and of medium size. Hornless black head, free from wool, sometimes with white markings. Bold eyes, alert medium sided ears. Small, neat muzzle with even jaw. Slender neck and shoulders set smoothly into a level back with generous length, good depth and reasonable breadth of body. Slender black legs well spaced and upright. Short hair-tipped tail. Dense long lustrous grey fleece, occasionally black, white or brown. Clearly defined even curl and staple, soft to handle. Calm friendly disposition. Average mature ewe weighs 55-70kg, rams 75-85kg. www.gotlandsheep.com

Hampshire Down

Hampshire Down Face and ears are a rich dark brown, approaching black, with wool over the poll and forehead. Wool is white with an average staple length. Body deep and symmetrical with ribs well sprung, broad, straight back, flat loins, wide rump and deep heavily muscled hind legs and breast. Legs being strongly jointed and powerful are set well apart. Average mature ewe weighs 80kg, rams120kg. www.hampshiredownsociety.org.uk

Hebridean

Hebridean The Hebridean is a small, hardy breed with fine bones and a tail reaching no lower than the hocks. Both sexes are horned, and about 10% of animals have four or more horns. Occasionally polled ewes are to be seen but these are genetically four horned and usually produce horned lambs. The animals are entirely black, though the fleece usually goes grey with age. Lambs may have a dark brown appearance because the tips of the fleece have been bleached by the sun. The wool has a stiff, springy quality. It sheds water easily. The face and legs are free of wool. Ewes lamb very easily. The Hebridean is a very active and long-lived sheep, ewes often still lambing well at ten years or more. It thrives on all types of grazing and responds well to all management systems. Average mature ewe weighs 38-40kg, rams 50-55kg. www.hebrideansheep.org.uk

Herdwick

Herdwick Herdwicks are a sturdy, strong boned sheep. The rams in particular have a broad chest, noticeably thick-set legs and may have strong horns, although as many as 20% are polled or have relatively small amounts of horn growth. The female sheep are somewhat finer boned and should not have any sign of horns.Purebred Herdwick lambs are born largely black often with tips of white on their ears. As they age, the heads and legs become white and the fleece assumes a colour ranging from a slatey blue-grey to a light grey. Herdwick sheep are widely considered to be the most hardy of all Britain's breeds of hill sheep. Probably 99 per cent of Herdwick sheep are kept in commercial flocks in the central and western dales of the Lake District. These fells run to over three thousand feet and facing the westerly rain bearing winds they record the country's highest rainfall. www.herdwick-sheep.com

Hill Radnor

Hill Radnor The Hill Radnor is a native hill or mountain breed most commonly found in the Border counties running from the North of Powys down to South West Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. It is a heavy breed which has good body length and width in its hind quarters, standing on well set legs with an abundance of bone.At birth the lambs are full of vitality, exceptionally well coated and gain excellent body weight. Lambing percentages vary under different conditions but the breed can easily average around 155%.The Hill Radnor is a healthy breed free from many of the contagious and hereditary diseases which often affect other breeds. www.hillradnor.co.uk

Icelandic

Icelandic The Icelandic is a medium sized, upstanding sheep, with a light frame and a naturally short fluke-shaped tail. Although majority are horned in both sexes, polled rams and ewes are common. The horns of the ram are strong and well rounded, the ewe's horns are finer and usually swept back. Four horned sheep are found occasionally in Iceland, but none have occurred in the UK. The fleece consists of a dual coat of very fine under-wool and an outer coat of long hairs and is found in all the natural colours, including a wide range of browns. Broken coloured sheep are common, the patterns ranging from limited markings, such as speckled, to large patches of colour on a white background or the reverse. Darker dorsal stripes are often found, Mouflon and badger face patterns occur. Grey sheep may have a black outer coat. Average mature ewe weighs up to 60kg, rams 90kg. www.icelandicsheepbreedersofbritain.co.uk

Ile De France

Ile De France The head is strong with a broad forehead, polled with protruding sockets, face of medium length, lips and nose rather thick. The profile is straight, slightly concave for the ram, with large ears, horizontal or standing slightly upwards, covered with thin short hair. The body is wide and large, broad and deep chested. It has a close white fleece. White covering covers the top of the head and extends down to or slightly above the orbital arches, frames the face, extends to just above the knees of the forelegs, covers the chest and belly, extends over the buttock to the hock of the hind legs. Average mature ewe weighs 70-90kg, rams 110-150kg. www.iledefrancesheep.co.uk

Jacob

Jacob The Jacob was traditionally a parkland breed but it is now much more widespread and is found in every part of the British Isles and in several countries around the world. It is an alert and attractive sheep being upstanding and deep bodied. Its white fleece has well defined black patches, the head and neck being mostly black with a white blaze. Both sexes are horned with either two or four horns. Jacob ewes are hardy and excellent mothers who milk well, frequently having twins or triplets. The finished lamb is tender and lean with an excellent flavour with a good meat to bone ratio, which is now sought after by butchers nationwide. The fleece has a great appeal to spinners and weavers. www.jacobsheep.org.uk

Kerry Hill A well-balanced sturdy sheep with ears set high and free from wool. A black nose and sharply defined black and white makings on the head and legs. Both ewes and rams are hornless. It is a handsome sheep, with a dense fleece, which is unusually white. The fleece handles well and is amongst the softest of British wools. In both ewes and rams teeth should be regular and meet the pad neither undershot or overshot. The Kerry Hill sheep are good on their feet and good in their teeth. Average mature weighs 55-65kg, rams 65-70kg. www.kerryhillsheep.net/

Leicester Longwool

Leicester Longwool The Leicester Longwool is a large active sheep. The head is bold and strong on a short thick neck. The crown is well covered with wool, and the face covered with white hair. The ears are blue, fine and fairly long with occasional black spots. The muzzle strong with even jaws, and nostrils dark in colour. The carcase is deep and of considerable length with full flanks. The back is broad and level and the ribs well sprung. The legs are of medium length with good bone and dark feet. The legs are covered in white hairs or wool. Average mature ewe weighs up to 100kg, rams 150kg.The Leicester Longwool grows a lustrous wool weighing from 12-18lb. Leicester wool exhibits evenness in length and diameter of fibre. It has a staple length of up to 18in. www.leicesterlongwoolsheepassociation.co.uk

Llandovery Whiteface The Llandovery Whiteface Hill Sheep are an elite hill breed of sheep. The rams have tremendous scale for a hill breed possessing good length and depth and can be either horned or moiled (without horns). The sheep have a dense fleece able to withstand the elements of the harsh upland environment. Both rams and ewes have a clean white face. For generations the Llandovery Whiteface Hill Sheep has been bred to live and thrive in the areas surrounding the Black Mountain in Carmarthenshire with Llandovery the central market where the sheep have been sold.

Llanwenog

Llanwenog Blackfaced and polled with tuft of clean wool on the forehead, this is a white fleeced, compact sheep with well sprung ribs, a strong loin and thighs. Ears should be fairly short and thin, slightly elevated. Average mature ewe weighs 56kg, rams 90kg. www.llanwenog-sheep.co.uk

Lleyn

Lleyn A medium sized lowland sheep weighing up to 70kg at maturity, renowned for their hardiness, prolificacy, easy lambing, strong mothering instinct, milkiness and easy handling. The wool is white free from any coloured fibres or kemp and is of good length, dense and of high quality. Heads must be feminine and warm white in colour with wide foreheads. Bright lively eyes and a black nose. Medium sized ears with black spots are desirable with the base of the ear starting from the wool. The back should be long with well sprung ribs and broad loins. Legs, which are warm white in colour, should be well set with no wool lower that the hock. Rams must be naturally polled. www.lleynsheep.com

Lonk This is one of the largest native hill breeds, the face and legs are pure black and white. The fleece is trim and even from head to skirting, white and free from kemp. Both sexes are horned. Average mature ewe weighs 45-54kg, rams 75-91kg. www.lonk-sheep.org

Masham The Masham ewe is medium sized and hornless. She has a good reputation for the ability to perform well in a wide variety of circumstances. Producing quality lambs is what she is bred for with an added bonus of a long stapled fleece, particularly as a hogg. Average mature adult weighs 75kg. www.mashamsheep.org.uk

Meatlinc The Meatlinc is a British breed, in the terminal sire category, developed from a breeding programme originated by Henry Fell in 1963. It is white faced, tight in the wool, with great length and heavy hindquarters. It is amongst the biggest of the British breeds, a mature ram weighs 140kg. www.meatlinc.co.uk

South Wales Mountain

Nelson South Wales Mountain The breed is similar in appearance to the other Welsh Mountain breeds. The main differences are its greater size and the usual presence of tan markings on the face and legs together with a brown collar. The fleece is dense with an even mixture of white kempy fibre.

North Country Cheviot The North Country Cheviot (NCC) is a big, long rugged, white sheep which combines thriftiness and healthiness with prolificacy and strong maternal qualities. The largest of all the UK hill breeds, it is particularly suited to grassy hills and uplands. Average mature ewe weighs 55-65kg hill, 75-90kg upland, rams 75-85kg hill, 95-100kg upland. www.nc-cheviot.co.uk

North of England Mule

North of England Mule Referred to as the 'The Original Mule', the North of England Mule has earned the right to be called the most popular lowland ewe in Britain.When crossed with quality terminal sires she has the ability to produce large crops of the quality fat lamb so demanded by today’s markets. Combine this with her great mothering ability, hardiness and general ease of management and it is easy to see why North Of England Mules can be seen throughout lowland Britain. www.nemsa.co.uk

Oxford Down

Oxford Down The Oxford Down is the largest heaviest of our Down breeds. With a capacity for fast growing and early maturity, it is an ideal crossing ram, producing light carcases in early lambing flocks earlier than its contemporaries and catching the market whilst prices are good. When kept for heavy lamb production, the heavier carcases are produced without unwanted fat, being most suitable for today's market. www.oxforddownsheep.org.uk

Portland

Portland The Portland sheep is a heathland breed from the Dorset area and a representative of the tan-faced group of breeds from the South West. It is a small animal, the average adult ewe weighing 38-40kg. The legs are an even tan colour. The face is a tan colour but may have lighter areas around the eyes and muzzle. Some sheep carry a light covering of wool on the forehead but the rest of the face is free from wool. The horns of the ram are heavily spiralled; in ewes they curve through a half circle. www.portlandsheep.co.uk

Romney

Romney The Romney is a large framed sheep and carries a heavy long woolled fleece. It has a broad white face, some with a small woolly 'top knot'. Both sexes are hornless. www.romneysheepuk.com

Rouge de L'ouest

Rouge de L'ouest The Rouge is a medium sized breed. As its name suggests its head, which is hornless, can vary from pink to deep red and is covered with fine hair. The legs are a similar colour to the head and are covered in fine hair. The fleece is fine with a short staple which grows into a dense 'jacket' giving the breed ample protection against the harshest weather. Average mature ewes weighs 75-100kg, rams 100-140kg. www.rouge-society.co.uk

Rough Fell

Rough Fell A horned black head with a definite white patch on the nose. The body is large and long with a broad loin, strong frame and legs with a noble carriage. Average mature ewe weighs 50kg, rams 80kg. www.roughfellsheep.co.uk

Roussin

Roussin This medium sized breed has a brown face and legs. The head and legs are free from wool. Both sexes are polled. Average mature ewe weighs 70-90kg, rams 90-110kg. www.bohdgaya.net/roussinsheepsociety

Ryeland

Ryeland The Ryeland's face is well woolled and its ears are of medium size, slightly dark in colour. Ryeland's heads have no trace of horn. Its chest is broad and fairly deep and has a straight, level back. Its legs are a dull white colour, well woolled to knee and hock with strong, compact feet renowned for freedom from footrot. Its fleece is dense, free from dark fibres, coarseness and kemp. Average mature ewe weighs 50-60kg, rams 75-80kg. www.ryelandfbs.com

Scotch Mule

Scotch Mule The Scotch Mule is the progeny of the Blackface ewe and the Bluefaced Leicester ram. This medium sized, polled cross-bred has a mottled brown face while the fine white wool should have a curled appearance (passed down from the sire). Average mature bodyweight 70kg. www.scotch-mule.co.uk

Shetland

Shetland The Shetland is one of the smallest of British sheep. The ewe is usually hornless, and the ram has nicely rounded horns, not too heavy, nor too close together. The head is well carried, the face is of medium length with a straight nose and bright eyes, the back is straight and of medium length. The breed is composed mainly of white faced, white woolled sheep but there are small numbers of moorit sheep which produce varying shades of wool. Average mature ewe weighs 35kg, rams 45kg. www.shetland-sheep.org.uk

Shropshire

Shropshire The Shropshire is medium in size. Shropshire sheep are active and alert. The Shropshire has a soft black face, with a covering of wool on the poll. Ears should be soft, black and well set on. The body is well-fleshed, long, deep and symmetrical, having a broad straight back with well-sprung ribs. Legs are medium in length, of strong bone and upright joints, well set apart and soft black in colour. Cherry skin covered in dense, fine quality wool weighing 3-4kg with an average staple of 10cm. Average mature ewe weighs 80kg, rams 120kg. www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk

Southdown

Southdown The Southdown is a good all rounder, capable of meeting the needs of all breeders. It is a well fleshed, meaty sheep, with a wide, level back through to the tail and a “leg at each corner”. The wool is of fine texture and great density covering the whole body down to the hocks. Ears are small and covered with short wool.The Southdown is an easy lambing breed.Rams are robust, good on their feet and long lived. Average mature weight for ewes is 65 – 75kg, rams 85 – 100kg. www.southdownsheepsociety.co.uk

Suffolk

Suffolk The Suffolk is a polled breed, with a distinctive all-black head and legs, and single colour close cropped white wool. Independent trials show that Suffolk's have the fastest growth rate of the terminal sire breeds. Average mature ewe weighs 84kg, rams 130kg. www.suffolksheep.org

Swaledale

Swaledale The upper part of the face is deep black, a bright silvery white surrounds the nose and eyes. The hair on the face is short and strong. This type of sheep grows greyer with age. Horns are set low, round and rather wide. Ears are grey or silver and of medium length. The wool is white except at the back of the head where it is mixed with part black, with a thick deep bed and curly top of medium length. The tail is thick, long and woolly. Legs are good flat bone of medium length, well set four square, with well shaped hocks, grey or mottled in colour, and with good sized feet. www.swaledale-sheep.com

Teeswater

Teeswater The Teeswater, a large hornless breed, carrying a fine, long-stapled, natural white lustre, kemp free fleece, has an off-white face with dark brown markings around the eyes and nose-end, but the face may also be a grey-ish blue. Average mature ewe weighs 80kg, rams www.teeswater-sheep.co.uk

Texel

Texel The Texel sheep originates from the island of Texel off the Dutch North-Sea coast.The British Texel is a medium sized sheep. The Texel’s outstanding qualities are its pronounced muscling and long loin coupled with the leanness inherited from the original Texel sheep.In pedigree terms the British Texel’s head should be covered with fine white hair, the nose preferably black with the occasional black spots on ears or eyelids.The body must be well proportioned with strong loins, a solid square stance and round well-developed gigots. The fleece has a high loft with a staple of medium length and is highly crinkled. www.texel.co.uk

Vendeen

Vendeen The head and legs are pale to dark brown and are lightly fleeced. The body is long with a broad back, well sprung ribs, strong loin and well developed gigot. The breed has a noble head and broad muzzle. It is hornless and the poll not too wide. The ears are large. It has an excellent quality close fleece which sheds water easily. Average mature ewe weighs 65-80kg, rams 95-120kg. www.vendeen.co.uk

Welsh Halfbred

Welsh Halfbred The Welsh Halfbred ewe is a medium sized, white faced, polled, first cross between a Welsh ewe and Border Leicester ram. Average mature ewe weighs 55-61kg. www.welshhalfbredsheep.co.uk

Welsh Hill Speckled Face

Welsh Hill Speckled Face A very attractive breed with black markings on nose, eyes, ears, knees and feet on an otherwise white body. Ewes are polled, but both horned and polled rams are acceptable. Average mature ewe weighs 50-55kg, rams 60-70kg.

Welsh Mountain-Hill Flock

Welsh Mountain-Hill Flock The Welsh Mountain ewe, has a white or tan face, it has a strong close textured fleece and a typical ewe clip weighs up to 2kg. The ram is usually, but not always, horned. Average mature ewe weighs 35-40kg on the hill or mountain but can add a further 10kg when drafted onto lowland.

Welsh Mountain-Registered

Welsh Mountain-Registered Rams are white or slightly tanned face with masculine wedge-shaped heads, horns, fairly strong, well curved. Ewes are polled, wool white, firm medium length. Bodies are compact, strong, medium sized. Welsh sheep are attractive in appearance and lively in action. Average mature ewe weighs 45-48kg, rams 75-80kg.

Welsh Mule

Welsh Mule The facial colouration varies from white to a dark mottled or speckled, depending upon breeding. They have a close textured fleece which is slightly crinkled and is of high quality. Average mature ewe weighs 60-65kg. www.welshmules.co.uk

Wensleydale

Wensleydale The Wensleydale is a very large longwool sheep, described by the MLC as 'probably the heaviest of all our indigenous breeds'. It has bold and alert carriage which is accentuated by its broad, level back on wide quarters and strong thighs. It has a distinctive deep blue head and ears, which should be clean except for a well developed forelock of wool, usually referred to as the 'topping'. Both sexes are polled. Average mature ewe weighs 113kg, rams 136kg. www.wensleydale-sheep.com

White Face Dartmoor

White Face Dartmoor It has a white head and face, the face of the ewe being free of wool, the ears are short and thick with occasional black spots on them. They were always horned but this feature has tended to disappear over the years, particularly amongst the ewes. The body is deep, broad and of medium length. The wool is white, of good staple and with a fairly strong crimp. Average mature ewe weighs 54kg, rams 74kg. www.whitefacedartmoorsheep.org.uk

White Faced Woodland

Whitefaced Woodland This large-framed hill breed has a broad face which should be white with a pink nose. The legs are white and free from wool. The fleece is white and of a very fine quality. They are horned in both sexes, the males having heavy spiralling horns. The sheep are strong boned and long in the body. Their tails have a distinct muscular appearance. Average mature ewe weighs 63kg, rams 130kg. www.whitefacedwoodland.co.uk

Wiltshire Horn

Wiltshire Horn The breed without wool. An old established lowland breed that is large and white faced. Both sexes are horned and wool-less. Average mature ewe weighs 72kg, rams 126kg. www.wiltshirehorn.org.uk

Zwartbles

Zwartbles The Zwartbles' name means Black with a White Blaze. She is a tall, long-bodied sheep which always carries her head up high, with alert ears. Ideally she should have an all black body and black head with a white blaze from the top of the head to the nose, two white socks on the rear legs and a white tip to her tail. Two white socks on the front legs are also very desirable. Both rams and ewes are naturally polled. The fleece is of remarkable quality and texture shading from black to brown. Average mature ewe weighs 85kg, rams 100kg. www.zwartbles.org