Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Finnsheep
Finnsheep, or the Finnish Landrace, were fi rst brought to the United States
from Finland in 1968. Since then, their numbers have grown rapidly. They are
said to “lamb in litters” because they are known to have up to six lambs per
lambing, with three or four being normal for the mature Finn ewe.
Finn ewes can breed at 6 or 7 months. Because they are so prolifi c,
Finnsheep are being widely used for crossbreeding. The lambs that result
from crossbreeding a Finn with a meat breed are indistinguishable from those
of the meat breed, while the lambing percentage is greatly increased.
Finns are known to be good mothers and easy lambers, but they require
exceptionally good care during gestation to meet the nutritional needs in
order to support multiple lambs. When litters greater than three occur, the
bonus lambs are either left with the dam and supplemented or taken away
and hand raised.
Fleeces are generally very soft with a lustrous quality, appealing to hand-
spinners. Although white is predominant in Finns, natural-colored fl ocks
have also been developed that include black, gray, brown, and spotted pat-
terning. The tails of Finns are naturally short and don't require docking. The
friendly disposition of Finnsheep makes them especially popular with small-
fl ock raisers.
Gulf Coast Native
As the name implies, Gulf Coast Native sheep hail from the southern coast
of the United States along the Gulf of Mexico. They developed from early
Spanish sheep introduced in the 1500s in Florida and are one of the oldest
breeds in the United States. Before World War II, hundreds of thousands of
these sheep roamed free on unimproved pastures throughout the subtropical
regions along the Gulf, but after the war, the southern sheep industry turned
to commercial, high-input, improved breeds.
Through hundreds of years of natural selection for withstanding the hot
and humid conditions under which parasites thrive, Gulf Coast Natives are
one of the most resistant breeds to internal parasites. This trait is helping to
stimulate renewed interest in these sheep. In fact, their tolerance to parasites
is generating interest outside their traditional subtropical range, and they
are now being raised as far north as Minnesota. This breed also tends to be
resistant to foot troubles.
