The Scottish Blackface sheep are mainly raised for meat. The breed is from the United Kingdom. The Blackface sheep are hardy and attractive with their long wool and blackface.
Scottish Blackface sheep breed information
The Scottish Blackface sheep are midium to large-sized breeds with black face and black legs.
Both the sexes are horned.
The Scottish Blackface sheep are used for meat production.
The fleece weight of Blackface is 1.75 to 3 kg with a staple length of 15 to 30 cm and a fiber diameter of 28 to 38 micron.
Blackface ewes are excellent mothers and will defend their offspring against any perceived threat.
The Scottish Blackface sheep are good milkers and are able to yield a lamb crop and a wool clip even when on marginal pastures
Blackface sheep produce lambs on the hills; latter they are brought down to the lower country and are crossed with Border Leicesters.
Scottish Blackface wool is used in the production of fine carpets.
Artisans have long treasured the horns of the Blackface for the carving of shepherds crooks and walking sticks.
Things to know
The Scottish Blackface is not from Scotland.
There are three types of Blackface sheep in the United Kingdom
- The Perth variety – ACoarse-wooled and large framed. Found in north-east Scotland, Devon, Cornwall, and Northern Ireland.
- The Lanark variety – The medium-framed and short wool. Found in Scotland and Ireland.
- The Northumberland Blackface – The large framed with soft wool.
In 1989 their wool accounted for nearly 40% of the total wool production of Scotland and one-twelfth the wool production of the United Kingdom.
Artisans have long treasured the horns of the Blackface for the carving of shepherds crooks and walking sticks.
During the 19th Century, the Blacksheep are exported to Northern Ireland and the US
Characteristics of Scottish Blackface sheep
| Breed Name | Scottish Blackface sheep |
| Other Name | Blackface sheep |
| Country/Place of Origin | the United Kingdom |
| Breed Purpose | Meat |
| Breed Size | Medium |
| Weight Ram(Male) | 60 kg (132 lbs) |
| Weight Ewe(Female) | 40 kg (88 lbs) |
| Lambing | single |
| Good for Stall Fed | open grazing |
| Climate Tolerance | local conditions |
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