Ryeland Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Ryeland sheep have been in Britain for over seven centuries. Their wool was once revered by Queen Elizabeth, who after trying a pair of stocking made for the Ryeland wool insisted she only ever wore stocking made from their fleece.
They are a big teddy bear looking sheep with their thick soft wool coat covering them from their heads to hoof. They are a dual-purpose breed that produce great wool sough after by hand spinners and weaver alike. They also produce a high-quality tasty meat that meets all the requirements of today’s markets.

RYELAND SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
Strong, sturdy with a long straight back and wool from head to hoof. They are big teddy bear looking sheep
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Other Names:	None
Breed Size:	Medium to large
Main Purpose:	Meat and wool
Can be used for	Breed, **LSC, Meat, Wool
Temperament:	Docile and easy to handle
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most climates
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	Novice to intermediate level of sheep farmer/keeper
Sheep Associations:	Ryland Flock Book society
Sheep Clubs:	Please refer to the Ryland Flock Book society members/breeders directories for more information
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 a strong, hardy breed with a fine carriage and well sprung ribs and covered with wool from the face down to their hooves. They look like cuddly woolen teddy bears! They have a long back, powerful back legs and a broad tail.

Color(s):

White but sometimes the ewes do have lambs of various colors, these are called “colored Ryelands”

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Breed Weight:	50 kgs	60 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear they are a medium to large breed	Unclear they are a medium to large breed
Hair:	They have soft fine short staple fleece	They have soft fine short staple fleece
Ears:	Small alert areas that are covered with a fine hair	Small alert areas that are covered with a fine hair
Horns:	Polled	Polled
Matures at age:	10 weeks/15 months	10 weeks to 15 months
Puberty Age:	5 to 12 months	5 to 7 months
Breeding Age:	18 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	1 Breeding cycle per year	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 are quite good milkers with excellent maternal instincts that will protect their young a all costs.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 24 to 36 hours
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days/13 to 19 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 150 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days
No. Lambs/Litter:	1 to 2 (twins) per birth some mature ewes can even have triplets
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
Milk Ideal for:	Lambs
You may Also Like:	10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk

SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Ryeland sheep breeds meat was once called “the sweet meat of Herefordshire”. They produce a tender succulent tasty excellent quality lamb. Their meat is sought after by various chefs and butchers.

Meat Production:

Yes, Quality: Excellent

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

SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Ryeland sheep is one of the “downs-type” wool sheep. It is a short-woolled sheep that was once prized for its exquisite wool stockings.

Wool Production?

Yes, Quality: Bradford count of 56 to 58

Wool is used to Produce:

Quality knits, stocking, hand spinners, weavers and even teddy bears

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months	6 to 8 months
Approx. Length:	8 to 10 cm	8 to 10 cm
Microns:	25 to 28	25 to 28
Approx. Quantity:	From 2 to 3 kgs a year	From 2 to 3 kgs a year

SHEEP SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

They are not primarily bred for their sheep skin production. Although their skin is or has at some time been used for the production of some form of sheep skin product such as chamois, etc.

Skin Production?

N/A

Skin is used to Produce:

Kid skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, etc.
Chamois cloths, leather goods such as seats, shoes and other garments and leather materials such as furniture, etc.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	3 to 10 months for Kid skin 1 to 2 years old for Normal leather	3 to 10 months for Kid skin 1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROMNEY SHEEP
A few more interesting facts to know about the breed
Child-Friendly?	No livestock should be left unattended around unsupervised children
Landscape Management?	They are great for landscape management
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the Ryland Flock Book society members/breeders directories for more information
General Information:	The Ryeland Flock Book Society was established in 1903. The Society is for the registration, information and breeders of the Ryeland sheep breed. Ryeland sheep are the oldest established British sheep breed and were bred by monks from Leominster in Hereford Britain. The Ryeland sheep were famous for their wool and the Lemster wool was prized above all other wool in England.

HISTORY

The Ryeland sheep are one of the oldest of the British breeds of sheep. Their heritage goes back to the monks of Leominster in Herefordshire almost seven centuries ago. The monks used to breed sheep that were grazed out on the rye pastures and hence the sheep breeds name Ryeland sheep.

They were believed to have the finest of all sheep wool as Queen Elizabeth herself would only use wool stockings that were made from “Lemster” wool.

The first reported importation of Ryeland sheep into America was made in the summer of 1907 by Mr. George McKerrow who at the time resided in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. There are not that many, if any, Ryeland sheep found in the USA today.