Wiltshire Horn Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Wiltshire Horn sheep is rather a unique breed of sheep in that it does not need to be sheered as it naturally sheds its short wool and hair coat in the spring.
It is a large breed of sheep that originates from Wiltshire in the South of England and is mainly bred for its outstanding meat quality.

WILTSHIRE HORN SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Wiltshire sheep breed does not need to be sheered as its molts is short fleece and hair coat each spring. They are known as horned hair sheep and are quite rare in the United States.
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Other Names:	None
Breed Size:	Large
Main Purpose:	Meat
Can be used for	Breed, **LSC, Meat, Wool
Temperament:	Docile and can be a bit wary
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most climates
Conservation Status:	Yes listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Watch
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	They are more for the intermediate and up level of sheep farmer/keeper
Sheep Associations:	Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society
Sheep Clubs:	Please refer to the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society members/breeders directory listings
Note: ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy * LSC stands for Landscape Management – the animal is used for controlling various vegetation growth

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Wiltshire Horn sheep breed a large breed of sheep with long legs and body. They have cropped short tails, clean smooth faces and legs with a fine white hair covering.

Color(s):

White or light brown

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Breed Weight:	72 kgs	126 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear they are a large breed	Unclear they are a large breed
Hair:	Short kemp wool	Short kemp wool
Ears:	Long and broad	Long and broad
Horns:	Thick and falls back from the head in a graceful curve	Thick and falls back from the head in a graceful curve with a second curve close to its 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:	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 and on the rare occasion 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
Milk Ideal for:	Lambs
You may Also Like:	10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk

SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

They are known for the high-quality meat production. Lambs can grow to their required weight without putting on any excess fat and therefor eliminating wastage. They produce a full-flavored succulent meat.

Meat Production:

Yes, Quality: Premium grade meat

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

GOOD TO KNOW
A few more interesting facts to know about the breed
Child-Friendly?	No livestock should be left unattended around an unsupervised child
Landscape Management?	They are excellent at finishing off grass.
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society members/breeders directory listings
General Information:	The Wiltshire Horn sheep breed grows a thick kemp wool coat during the Autumn to Winter months which it will shed in the spring. There is no need for sheering which helps cut costs for the smaller farmer as there is not need for sheering expenses. The breed is ideally suited to both indoor and outdoor lambing systems. The lambs are born with a lot of vigor and a thick coat to protect them from the elements. The Wiltshire horn breed of sheep makes for an excellent crossing breed and the rams make superior meat sires to produce lambs that finish quickly and are lively at birth.

HISTORY

The Wiltshire Horn sheep breed is a very old breed that is native to Wiltshire and could be found roaming the Wiltshire Downs up until around the 18th century.

During the 19th century the breed fell out of favor as the economy turned more to the production of wool.

In 1923 the Wiltshire Horn breed of sheep was saved from extinction by the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society and in the 1970’s the breed became a protected breed by the Rare Breed Survival Trust. Since then the breeds numbers have significantly increased into a large commercial flock that it is today.

It population growth is thanks to its unique ability of being able to shed its wool in the spring. This significantly cuts down on time and labor costs that usually cut deeply into most sheep farmers budgets. It is now very popular with the smaller sheep farmers due to is low/easy care advantages.

The strength and durability of this breed make it the perfect choice for the sheep farmer of the 21st century especially those that do not have the larger budgets or the commercial farmers. The Wiltshire horn breed meets all the stringent requirements of the modern sheep industry.