Scottish Blackface Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Scottish Blackface sheep breed originated in Scotland. There are many varieties of the breed and the quality and quantity of the breeds wool varies from the location in which it was bred.
They are one of the most numerous and common sheep breeds in Britain, make excellent mothers and are known for the outstanding quality and tasty meat production.

SCOTTISH BLACKFACE SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Scottish Blackface sheep is a very hardy breed that quickly adapts to its surrounds and the climate.
Country of Origin:	Scotland
Other Names:	Scottish Highland sheep, Scotch Blackface sheep, Scotch Horn Sheep, Blackfaced Highland sheep, Linton or Kerry sheep
Breed Size:	Large to medium
Main Purpose:	Meat and wool
Can be used for	Breed, **LSC, Meat, Wool
Temperament:	Docile
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most climates
Conservation Status:	Not listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Common
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	Novice to intermediate sheep farmer/keeper level
Sheep Associations:	Scottish Black Face Breeders Union and The Scottish Blackface Sheep Association
Sheep Clubs:	Please refer to the Scottish Black Face Breeders Union or The Scottish Blackface Sheep Association 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

The Scottish Blackface sheep comes in many varieties which are marginally smaller or heavier. But mostly have a large frame with a long overcoat of wool and a shorter undercoat of wool. They have clean faces and long clean legs. Their head is covered with a wooly cap.

Color(s):

White

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Breed Weight:	52 to 58 kgs	68 to 79 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear they are a medium to large breed	Unclear they are a medium to large breed
Hair:	Coarse outer coat and a shorter, softer inner coat. Thick medium staple straight wool	Coarse outer coat and a shorter, softer inner coat. Thick medium staple straight wool
Ears:	Medium length with a slight curve, no wool on them and alert	Medium length with a slight curve, no wool on them and alert
Horns:	They are horned	They are horned
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.
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 with mature ewes being able to raise 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 Scottish Blackface sheep is not a very big breed of sheep, but they have a carcass with a good meat to bone ratio. And a high-quality lean lamb that is in demand with today’s health consciences society. Their meat has a superb flavor and is free of superfluous fat and waste which caters to the demands of butchers and consumers in today’s lamb/mutton markets.

Meat Production:

Yes, Quality: Excellent

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

SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Scottish Blackface sheep has a class of its own as it is known as a specialty wool. There are variations on the type of fleece as to the spinning count, length, etc. It is dependent where the sheep were bred. For example, the southwest type has a finer wool with a Bradford count of around 40s and is classed a medium quality wool. The central type has a longer fleece and the wool is classed a deep, strong or long. The counts below are an average reported by the American Sheep Industry Association.

Wool Production?

Yes, Quality: Variable dependent upon where the sheep were bred

Wool is used to Produce:

Various products depending on the quality. But are mainly used in the production of fine quality wool carpets.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months	6 to 8 months
Approx. Length:	25 to 36 cm	25 to 36 cm
Microns:	28 to 38	28 to 38
Approx. Quantity:	From around 1.75 to 3 kgs	From around 1.75 to 3 kgs

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 excellent at landscape management
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the Scottish Black Face Breeders Union and The Scottish Blackface Sheep Association for more information
General Information:	Blackface ewes make excellent mothers and will defend their lambs against most predators with courage and vigor. The finest of the Scottish Blackface wool is sent to the Harris twee trade.

HISTORY

Although the actual origins of the breed is not really known it was developed on the Anglo-Scottish border but there is no clear indication of precisely when it was deemed a breed.

The breed replaced the Scottish Dunface sheep breed which was a short-tailed sheep breed which is thought to have been similar in appearance to the Shetland sheep breed.

The Scottish Blackface sheep breed is the most prominent sheep breed in the Bristish Isles. There are various different types of the Scottish Black Faced sheep breed that have been developed over the years with the most common of the varieties being the Perth variety. This variety tends to have a longer coat and is larger than most of the other Scottish Blackface sheep breeds.

The first Scottish Blackface Highland sheep were introduced to America in 1861.