Castlemilk Moorit sheep is developed as a decorative breed. The Castlemilk Moorit is a short-tailed primitive breed, created from the Soay, Manx, Shetland, and probably wild Mouflon.
Castlemilk Moorit sheep breed information
Ewes are excellent mothers and produce lambs well into old age.
There are no lambing problems are they are small.
Lambing percentage is around 160 to 170 percentage.
The breed is hardy but requires some shelter during lambing.
It is a long-legged, elegant beast, with a light tan or reddish-brown fleece of the color known in Shetland sheep as “moorit”.
The breed is resistant to flystrike and footrot.
The mature rams weigh around 55 kg (120 lbs) and ewes weigh around 40 kg (88 lbs).
The fleece weight is around 1 kg, with staple length os 4 to 7 cm. The quality is around 48s to 50 s.
The fleece has little or no kemp and is highly prized by hand spinners.
Things to know
In the early 20th century, the late Sir Jock Buchanan-Jardine began a breeding program on his Castlemilk Estate in Dumfriesshire, Scotland which resulted in Castlemilk Moorit sheep.
The Castlemilk Moorit is a short-tailed primitive breed, created from the Soay, Manx, Shetland, and probably wild Mouflon.
In 1970 the Castlemilk flock was sold and only one tup and 10 ewes survived. This tiny foundation is the basis of present Castlemilk Moorit.
Brief characteristics of Castlemilk Moorit sheep
| Breed Name | Castlemilk Moorit |
| Other Name | Moorit Shetland, Milledge Sheep, or Castlemilk Shetland |
| Country/Place of Origin | Scotland |
| Breed Purpose | Decorative breed |
| Breed Size | small |
| Weight Ram(Male) | 55 kg (120 lbs) |
| Ewe(Female) | 40 kg (88 lbs) |
| Kidding | single or twins |
| Good for Stall Fed | open grazing |
| Climate Tolerance | local conditions |
Hello, I am Siddartha Reddy . A fulltime farmer and blogger who love to share all his farming experiences. Also, a strong supporter of sustainable farming practices. Thanks for visiting our site, let’s make this world a better place to live. Say No to Chemicals and plastics.
