We are building a small Heritage Spinners Flock of Shetland Sheep.  They belong to the Northern European short-tailed group of sheep like the Icelandics.  They are considered a primitive or "unimproved" breed.   The Shetland's heritage goes back over a thousand years, probably brought to the Shetland Islands by viking settlers.

The Shetland is the smallest of the British breeds.  Rams usually weigh 90 to 125 pounds and ewes about 75 to 100 pounds.  Rams usually have spiral horns and the ewes are typically polled, but can be horned as well.  They are fine-boned and their naturally short, fluke-like tail does not require docking.  These cute little sheep are famous for their wool.

This wonderful wool is very fine, with a Bradford count usually in the upper 50's to lower 60's and a fiber diameter range of 20 to 25 microns.  The fleece has a staple length of 2 to 4.5 inches and weigh between 2 and 4 pounds.  The color patterns of these little sheep comes in 11 colors and 30 markings.  The shetland wool is the hand spinners dream.

Shetland sheep are very hardy, great mothers, easy lambers and milkers. They do extremely well on pasture only and are sheared once yearly.  We have purchased a small group to see how they perform in the southern heat.

 

****Reserve your Shetland Fall Lamb Fleece...

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