Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Shropshire
Shropshire sheep are one of the “down” breeds, developed in southern
England in the low hills called downs. First known as a fi xed breed in 1848, it
was imported into the United States in 1855 and became a well-established,
popular breed.
It is a medium-sized sheep that produces good meat lambs, but it needs
abundant feed. Ewes typically have twins and triplets. They are long lived,
often producing lambs well into their teens. The rams are often used as ter-
minal sires in crossbred production.
Soay
Livestock historians believe the Soay is representative of the earliest domestic
sheep. They are found on several islands off the coast of Scotland, but in the
1970s and 1990s, conservation breeders imported small numbers of animals
to North America. They have maintained fl ocks of purebred Soay, and some
have also upgraded a breed now known as American Soays through crosses
with other breeds.
The Soays are hardy and intelligent, though they are more wary and wild
than most domestic sheep. The ewes are excellent mothers.
Southdown
The Southdown is an old English breed that was modernized and selected for
meat production during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is tradi-
tionally a small- to medium-sized breed with a boxy build, though the North
American fl ock includes some larger-sized animals as well as some very small
animals. In fact, several types are found in North America today: the Standard
Southdown is a medium-sized animal, raised for commercial production; the
Babydoll is a smaller animal, often raised as a pet; and the Toy or Miniature
Southdown is a very small sheep that doesn't exceed 24 inches (61 cm) at the
withers and is also aimed at the pet-sheep market.
Southdowns have a good disposition. Twins and triplets are common. They
are known for their feed effi ciency, particularly when raised on high-quality
pastures. Their fl eece is usually white, but there are some colored strains. The
fi ber is short (less than 3 inches [7.6 cm]) but soft and with a fi ne to medium
diameter.
