18 Best Wool Producing Sheep Breeds

Wool has been used for centuries to produce anything from carpets to blankets, tapestries and fine woolen garments. There is a lot of terminologies that gets thrown around in the wool industry such the wool from a flock of sheep or more than one sheep is called a clip. Fleece is what a single sheep’s wool is referred to.

In the wool industry lambs will produce less wool than ewes and in turn, rams, as they are usually a lot larger than ewes will produce even more wool of the same breed. There are many types of wool sheep and each one produces a different quality of wool that is used in different parts of the wool industry.
This article covers some of the top wool-producing sheep breeds used in the American wool industry and is a mixture of all types of wool.

TOP 18 WOOL PRODUCING SHEEP BREEDS

Columbia Sheep

Fleece Weight:   12 to 16 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   23 to 29 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 3.5 to 5 inches

The Columbia sheep are a breed that was developed in America in 1912 for a sheep breed that had better lamb and a lot more wool. The breed is the product of a cross between the Rambouillet and Lincoln sheep breeds. They are a large size breed that is bred for both meat and wool as well as being used as sires for “cross-bred market lambs”. They are really good for range conditions having been specifically bred for this. Continue Reading…

Icelandic Sheep

Fleece Weight:   4 to 5 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   The three (under-coat) is 19 to 22 microns and tog (outer-coat) is 27 to 30 microns
Wool Type:   They have a Premium fleece with the thel is very soft wool classed as fine wool and the tog is classed as a medium wool fleece
Length:   The thel is 2 to 4 inches and the tog is 6 to 8 inches

The Icelandic sheep breed is one of the oldest and purest of sheep breeds having been around since the Vikings brought them to Iceland around 11000 years ago. They have always been a triple-purpose breed in Iceland being prized for its fleece, milk, and meat. There are very strict rules and regulations governing the breed in order to keep its authentication it is also illegal to import sheep into Iceland. The Icelandic sheep breeds tog wool was used in various tapestries, twine, embroidery thread, rope and woven into canvas sails. They also make baby clothes from fine wool, mittens, underwear, sweaters, socks, caps, etc. They also have one of the widest range of colors.

 

Lincoln Sheep

Fleece Weight:   12 to 16 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   36 to 40 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, long lustrous-wool fleece
Length:   Longest staple length of any breed – 100 to 150mm in length

The Lincoln sheep breed is the largest of sheep breeds and it also boasts the longest, heaviest and most lustrous fleece of all sheep breeds in the world. Their wool is ideal for handcrafts, spinning and to blend with other fiber such as mohair in order the lend strength to the shorter stapled wools. It is even blended with Mohair at times for a stronger fiber. They are a dual-purpose breed bred for both their top-quality wool and meat. They are also docile and calm sheep that do not mind being around humans. Continue Reading…

Polypay Sheep

Fleece Weight:   7 to 10 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   24 to 31 microns
Wool Type:   Medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 3 to 5 inches

The Polpay sheep breed was developed in the United States of America at the Sheep Experiment Stations in Dubois, Idaho. They are a medium-sized synthetic sheep that were specifically designed to be prolific breeders and produce two lamb crops a year with a good meat quality as well as a good wool quality. The name is derived from “poly” for many and “pay” as they give a good return on investment in the breed. Continue Reading…

Shetland Sheep

Fleece Weight:   2 to 4 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   19 to 29 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 3.5 to 5 inches

They are not dairy standard as they do not produce as much as dairy sheep do. But once they were the main source of dairy, wool, and meat for Iceland. In the winter months, they were left to roam free and then brought back to the homestead to calve in the spring. These sheep had to survive in the harsh Icelandic winter, so it can be said that they are a very hardy breed of sheep. They would complement any homestead especially one that needs sheep for cheese processing Continue Reading…

Southdown Sheep

Fleece Weight:   5 to 8 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   23.5 to 29 microns
Wool Type:   Fine, dense, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 1.5 to 2.5 inches

Southdown sheep are a smaller sized sheep that are ideal for a homestead type farm. They are a great breed that are docile and easy to manage. They are broken down into two types the Original Southdown and the Babydoll Southdown that are a bit smaller than the original breed. Both breeds fleece is usually white in color.Continue Reading…

Suffolk Sheep

Fleece Weight:   5 to 8 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   25.5 to 33 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, Soft, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 2.0 to 3.5 inches
Suffolk Sheep are mainly white in color with black faces and large muscular bodies. They originate from England where they were developed by the crossing of Norfolk Horned ewes with Southdown sheep breed rams. Continue Reading…

Targhee Sheep

Fleece Weight:   10 to 12 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   22 to 24 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, Soft, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 3.5 to 5 inches

The Targhee sheep breed has soft lustrous wool that if full of elasticity and resilience. The wools are mostly used for garments that are worn next to the skin and their fleece is white in color. They are a hardy breed that can be used for their good quality of meat as well. Continue Reading…

Merino Sheep

Fleece Weight:   6.6 to 13.2 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   less than 24 microns
Wool Type:   Ultra fine-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 2.6 to 3.9 inches

The Merino sheep have long been known to have the finest and softest wool of all the sheep breeds. One must be careful about Merino wool though as not all Merino sheep wool is equal as the Merino sheep is just as prized for its meat as it is for its wool. Those bred for their meat tend not to produces as high-quality wool as those specifically bred for their wool. Continue Reading…

Leicester Longwool Sheep

Fleece Weight:   Rams = 9 to 20lbs and Ewes = 6 to 14 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   32 to 38 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, curly, long and lustrous-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 5 to 14 inches

They have wool that is valued and sought after by hand spinners for is lustrous and sheen. It is a lot softer than that of the Cotswold and or Lincoln sheep breeds. The Leicester Longwool sheep has fleece colors of white, English Blue and black.

Finnsheep

Fleece Weight:   5 to 6 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   24 to 31 microns
Wool Type:   Long Silky, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 3 to 6 inches

Quite an ancient breed of sheep that have been around for over 700 years and were at first Land-race sheep that have been selectively approved upon. Their fleece comes in a range of colors such as brown, fawn, grey, black, pure white and a white/black piebald. Continue Reading…

Cotswold Sheep

Fleece Weight:   up to 15 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   32 to 40 microns
Wool Type:   Long Silky, medium-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 8 to 12 inches

The Cotswold sheep are quite a rare breed of sheep that come from the Cotswold hills of England. They are a dual-purpose breed that can get quite hefty in weight. The lambs are born a dark color from red to cinnamon but as they reach maturity they will turn to a golden beige color. Their fleeces were associated with fabulous cloth of gold in the 13th century. Their curly tight locks are also used to make “Santa’s Beards”! Continue Reading…

Polwarth Sheep

Fleece Weight:   13 to 15 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   23 to 25 microns
Wool Type:   Soft, fine, long-wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 132 mm

Polwarth sheep are an Australian breed that was developed in the late 1800s. They are large sheep that are naturally polled and come in black, brown and grey colors.

Teeswater Sheep

Fleece Weight:   10 to 15 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   30 to 35 microns
Wool Type:   Lustrous, long-wool fleece hangs in individual locks not prone to felting
Length:   Good staple length of 8 to 12 inches

Teeswater sheep breed looks like Old English Sheepdogs and basically have the same docile yet alert characters. They are listed on the Rare Breed Survival Trust as a threatened breed and fall under the English Longwool category of sheep. They have long white wool that is high in luster with hanging locks that do not felt. Continue Reading…

Herdwick Sheep

Fleece Weight:   Unclear
Fiber diameter:   40 microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, long coarse-wool fleece
Length:   Quite a long length of 85 to 90 mm

This unique breed of sheep truly is one of the hardiest breeds around. They are native to Cumbria in England and have survived near been wiped out in 2001 with foot and mouth disease. They are also territorial so tend to stay where they make their home. Their wool is a good insulator, although coarse and is best suited to rugs or even fire-proof blankets. They have even been known to survive been trapped under snow for a few days eating their own wool. Continue Reading…

Poll Dorset Sheep

Fleece Weight:   5 to 9 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   21 to 27 to 33 microns
Wool Type:   Fine down type wool-free from dark fibers and kemp
Length:   Good staple length of 2.5 to 4 inches

The Poll Dorset is a medium sized sheep breed that is good for milk, meat and wool. Their wool is very strong and white in color used in most wool applications.

Black Welsh Mountain Sheep

Fleece Weight:   2.2 to 5.5 lbs.
Fiber diameter:   26.4 to 32.69 microns
Wool Type:   Thick, short and firm wool fleece
Length:   Good staple length of 2.2 to 5 inches

This breed has black wool that is sought after as it does not require dying, they are well suited to smaller homesteads. They are a hardy breed that is docile and well behaved. It also has a resistance to many diseases including fly-strike. Continue Reading…

Navajo-Churro Sheep

Fleece Weight:   Unclear
Fiber diameter:   Inner Coat = 21 to 25 microns, Inner wool fibers = 10 to 35 microns and Kemp = 65+ microns
Wool Type:   Heavy, Coarse, long wool fleece that is open with no crimp but has 3 different types of fibers
Length:   Inner Coat of 3 to 5 inches, Outer Coat is 6 to 12 inches with the Kemp being short opaque fibers.

The Navajo-Churro is one of America’s first sheep breeds and is descended from an ancient breed of sheep called the Iberian. They are very hardy and adaptable sheep that produce a good amount of wool per year. Their fleece comes in a few different colors that are accepted for the Navajo Churro Breeds Standard. Continue Reading…