Shetland sheep

Shetland
A small, brown Shetland sheep with small horns
A Shetland lamb with the common "moorit" (reddish brown) colour
Country of originScotland (Shetland)
TypeNorthern European short-tailed
UseWool, meat, conservation grazing
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    41–57 kg
  • Female:
    34–45 kg
Wool colorVariable
Face colorVariable
Horn statusMales horned, ewes occasionally horned[citation needed]

The Shetland is a small, wool-producing breed of sheep originating in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, but is now also kept in many other parts of the world. It is part of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, and it is closely related to the extinct Scottish Dunface. Shetlands are classified as a landrace or "unimproved" breed.[1] This breed is kept for its very fine wool, for meat, and for conservation grazing.[2]

Although Shetlands are small and slow-growing compared to commercial breeds, they are hardy, thrifty, easy lambers, adaptable and long-lived. The Shetland breed has survived for centuries in difficult conditions and on a poor diet, but they thrive in better conditions. Shetlands retain many of their primitive survival instincts, so they are easier to care for than many modern breeds.

  1. ^ "Shetland". Sheep101.info. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  2. ^ "The Shetland Breed". The Shetland Sheep Society. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2015.