Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Two other points make the Barbados an interesting alternative (especially
for shepherds in the hot, humid Southeast): they exhibit great resistance to
internal parasites and heat stress (in fact, university trials have confi rmed that
they carry only about 10 percent of the parasite burden of wool breeds in the
Southeast) and they suffer a low incidence of heat stress.
The body color varies from dark brown to almost red to tan, with distinct
black markings on the legs, belly, insides of the pointed ears, and on the chin
and face. Face markings include black bars down the front of the face, as well
as a line of black that goes across the top of the head.
Bluefaced Leicester
There are three Leicester breeds: the Leicester Longwool (or English) (see page
70), the Border Leicester (see page 44), and the Bluefaced Leicester (below).
Developed in northern England during the early 1900s, Bluefaced Leicesters
are quite prolifi c, with good maternal instincts. These sheep are a medium to
large size and get their name from the dark blue skin on their heads, which
shows through white face hair. Thanks to their fi ne, longwool fl eece (56s-60s
count), which is semilustrous, with a silky handle (the way the fi ber feels in
a spinner's hand) and pencil locks, they have become extremely popular with
the fi ber community, and handspinners pay premiums for their fi ber, which
BLUEFACED LEICESTER
