Dorset Horn Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Dorset Horn sheep have been dubbed as “the breed for all seasons and for all reasons”.

They are highly adaptable and can be used in most sheep enterprises such as that of the full-time commercial farming enterprises to that smaller farm flock operations.

They were developed to be a sheep that were versatile and could thrive in all climates, environments and under all kinds of conditions.

They are a medium sized sheep with a compact frame and good disposition.

DORSET HORN SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Dorset Horn sheep breed is versatile, adaptive, calm and docile.
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Other Names:	Dorset or Dorset Horned
Breed Size:	Medium
Main Purpose:	Meat
Can be used for	Breed, Meat, Wool **LSC (Landscape Management)
Temperament:	They are a calm, docile, easy to handle and easy to train breed of sheep
Ideal Climate:	Most climates
Conservation Status:	Yes,Listed by the *ALC Threatened. They are also listed with the Rare Breed Survival Trust
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	Novice to intermediate level sheep farmer/keepers
Sheep Associations:	Continental Dorset Club, Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeder’s Association and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Sheep Clubs:	Continental Dorset Club, Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeder’s Association and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Note: ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy * LSC stands for Landscape Management – the animal is used for controlling various vegetation growth

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Dorset Horn breed have a clean face open white face with long bodies. Their legs are smooth and clean from the knee down. They have a compact body and long nose and the crown of their heads are usually well covered with wool.

Color(s):

White

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Breed Weight:	68 to 102 kgs	102 to 147 kgs
Breed Height:	86 cm at withers	93 cm at withers
Hair:	They have a medium fiber fleece that covers their body. The hair that covers the lower belly, legs and face is short and medium in texture	They have a medium fiber fleece that covers their body. The hair that covers the lower belly, legs and face is short and medium in texture
Ears:	Small to medium and are usually covered with white hair. They stand out at least 5 degrees from the side of the head and are alert	Small to medium and are usually covered with white hair. They stand out at least 5 degrees from the side of the head and are alert
Horns:	The ewes horns are not a thick or curled as the rams horns. They grow out form her head a good distance apart on the crown. The grow outwards and then curve gracefully towards her ears. Kind of like a horned bob. The horns are not as tightly fitted to the head as the rams horns are	The rams horns are quite a lot thicker than the ewes horns. They are grown out from the head a good distance apart on the crown. But instead of growing up they tend to grow tightly to the back of the crown before curing around the ear and then curing around outward in a spiral. The rams horns are tightly fitted to the side of his head.
Matures at age:	10 weeks/15 months or 15 years	10 weeks to 15 months
Puberty Age:	5 to 12 months	5 to 7 months
Breeding Age:	18 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Ewe Breeding & Milking Info.	Cover 5 to 10 Ewes in 1 season

EWE BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
The ewes can breed twice in a year with around three lambing’s in a two-year cycle being the most common breeding program for the Dorset Horn ewes. They have an excellent lambing rate, are excellent mother and have an abundance of milk for their young.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 16 to 59 hours
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days/15 to 20 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 149 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days
No. Lambs/Litter:	1 to 2 (twins)
Lactation Period:	Usually, around 150 to 240 day but most are milked for 180 days
Milking From:	4 to 6 weeks after lambing
Milk Quality:	Good, Quantity: Enough to wean lambs , Per: Lactation period
Milk Ideal for:	Lambs
You may Also Like:	10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk

SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Dorset Horned sheep breed produces a premium grade lamb, mutton and hogget. Their lambs are quite fast growing and have a good carcass. They lambs can get up to 16 kgs by their 10th week of age.

Meat Production:

Yes, Quality: Excellent

SHEEP ⇒	LAMB	HOGGET/MUTTON
Approx. Maturity Weight:	58 kgs	79 kgs
Approx. Maturity Age:

SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Dorset Horn sheep produces a fine quality of wool per year. The have a fine down type wool that is dense and firm to handle. It is very popular with hand spinners. The fleece has a good staple with is compact and firm to the touch.

Wool Production?

Yes, Quality: Medium grade wool with a spinning count of 46s to 58s

Wool is used to Produce:

Ideal and in demand for hand spinners. They are used for other garments, wools, etc.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months	6 to 8 months
Approx. Length:	7.6 to 11.3 cm	7.6 to 11.3 cm
Microns:	26 to 33	26 to 33
Approx. Quantity:	From 2.3 kg up to 3.6 kgs a year	From 2.3 kg up to 3.6 kgs a year

GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE DORSET HORN SHEEP
A few more interesting facts to know about the breed
Child-Friendly?	No livestock should have unattended children around them
Landscape Management?	They are great at grazing and foraging and will keep the bush/grass growth down
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the Continental Dorset Club, Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeder’s Association and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Dorset sheep breed are best known for the fine “down” type fleece and being able to lamb all year around.

HISTORY

Centuries ago when Spain set out to conquer England, they brought Merino sheep with them for various reasons probably as food, wool and milk source. These sheep were integrated into southwest England where they were crossed with the Horned Sheep breed of Wales.

The result of this cross was a very valuable and desirable white sheep that had excellent meat and wool. The breed quickly spread across Dorset, Devon, Somerset and most of Wales in the United Kingdom.

The Horned Dorset sheep breed was first introduced into the United States of America in 1885 and in 1948 there was a dominant gene for polledness. The polled version of the Horned Dorset fast became the more popular version of the Dorset Horned sheep breed especially in farm flocks.