Herdwick Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Herdwick sheep breed are naturally polled sheep with a medium to long fleece. They are a hardy adaptable breed that were traditionally bred in the pastures and fells of the Lake District in England.

They are a breed that has been around since a little before the 12th century where they were an important dual-purpose breed bred for their fleece and meat in the Lake District.

HERDWICK SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Herdwick Sheep breed is a very old breed of sheep that was bred in the Lake District of England
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Other Names:	None
Breed Size:	Small
Main Purpose:	Meat and wool
Can be used for	Breed, Meat, Wool **LSC (Landscape Management)
Temperament:	Docile and easy to handle
Ideal Climate:	Most climates
Conservation Status:	Not, Listed by the *ALC Common
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	Novice to intermediate sheep farmers/keepers
Sheep Associations:	Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association
Sheep Clubs:	Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association
Note: ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy * LSC stands for Landscape Management – the animal is used for controlling various vegetation growth

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

They are smaller than most other meat breeds with medium to long coat of hair that does not cover their heads. They have a squarish compact body and medium length clean legs.

Color(s):

Lambs are born black, after a year the fleece lightens to a dark brown and after the first sheering will turn to a silvery-grey color.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Breed Weight:	35 to 45 kgs	66 to 75 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear they are a small breed	Unclear they are a small breed
Hair:	Good even undercoat of fine wool. Their top coat is heavy and dense with even color and strong ruffle or mane around the top of their shoulders and neck.	Good even undercoat of fine wool. Their top coat is heavy and dense with even color and strong ruffle or mane around the top of their shoulders and neck.
Ears:	Medium with no wool and face downward	Medium with no wool and face downward
Horns:	Ewes are normally polled	Rams have horns that are an off white, strong not too thick, they rise well out of the back of the head, low set around the ears and with one to two spirals.
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 breed once a year and mostly produce enough milk to wean their lambs. They do have a quite a high lambing loss percentage of up to 25% losses. They are excellent mothers with great maternal and herding instincts.
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: Ave. 180 to 495 liters, Per: Lactation period
Milk Ideal for:	Lambs
You may Also Like:	10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk

SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Herdwick lamb and mutton produce a good quality of uniquely flavored meat that is quite lean, tender, succulent with a good grain. The lambs are a little slower maturing than most but do produce a fine carcass.

Meat Production:

Yes, Quality: Good

SHEEP ⇒	LAMB	HOGGET/MUTTON
Approx. Maturity Weight:	14 to 18 kgs	35 to 75 kgs
Approx. Maturity Age:	6 months	1 year +

SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION

They produce a medium quality of wool that has been used for generation in various wool trades.

Wool Production?

Yes, Quality: Medium quality

Wool is used to Produce:

Carpets, fiber art, felting, tweeds, etc.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months	6 to 8 months
Approx. Length:	15 to 20 cm	15 to 20 cm
Microns:	About 40	About 40
Approx. Quantity:	From 1.5 kg up to 2 kgs a year	From 1.5 kg up to 2 kgs a year

GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE HERDWICK SHEEP
A few more interesting facts to know about the breed
Child-Friendly?	No livestock should be left unattended around children
Landscape Management?	Most sheep are good at landscape management as they are mostly hardy self-sufficient grazers.
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association

GENERAL INFORMATION

Beatrix Potter kept and bred Herdwick sheep on her farm in the Lake District. At the time she was participating in the National Trusts land managing principles and the Herdwick sheep breed were a threatened breed at the time. She is most often presented as the key figure in saving the breed from extinction.

Beatrix Potter was the first female President of the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association to which she was elected in 1943.

Herdwick sheep are one of Britain’s hardiest hill sheep breed.

HISTORY

The breed got their name from the Norse “herdvyck” which means “sheep pasture”.
They are recorded as far back as the 12th century in documented records about the breed.

Their Nordic name is a give-away that the sheep were brought to Britain by Norse settlers somewhere in the 10th to 11th century. This would have been during the Viking invasion of Western England during that time.

The Herdwick sheep breed have played an important role in the culture and environment of the Lake District and were greatly advocated by Beatrix Potter in the 1930’s right up to her death in 1943.