Shetland (sheep)

Shetland sheep have been on the Shetland Isles for over a thousand years, probably brought there by Viking settlers. They are Northern European short-tailed sheep, a group which also includes the Finnsheep, Norwegian Spaelsau, Icelandic, Romanov and others. Shetlands are classed as a landrace or "unimproved" breed.

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 so they thrive in better conditions. Shetlands retain many of their primitive survival instincts so they are easier to care for than many modern breeds.

Breed characteristics

The Shetland is one of the smallest British breeds. The ewes are usually hornless (polled) but the rams usually, but not always, have horns. The breed is noted for its fine, soft wool and the high quality of its meat. They are small bodied animals with no wool on the face and nose, bright eyes and small erect ears. The legs are of medium length and finely boned. A distinguishing feature of northern short-tailed sheep is the short, fluke-shaped tail, broad at the base and tapering to a point.

Shetlands occur in very many different colours and patterns, most of which have particular names (see below).

Average bodyweight

* Mature ram Convert|45|kg|lb|abbr=on
* Mature ewe Convert|35|kg|lb|abbr=on

Wool

The wool produced by the Shetland has historically been a valued commodity. Shetlands produce numerous shades of wool colours (see below), and this variety was commercially important to the wool industry of the Shetland Isles, where natural wools are often used undyed. Tweed is also produced from the coarser Shetland wool but the Isles are best for their multi-coloured knitwear and for the traditional crocheted shawls which are so fine they will pass through a wedding ring.

Incidentally, the name "tweed" for the Scottish coarse woollen twill was acquired by accident. In about 1840, when checks were popular for trousers, an invoice for "tweel" sent from Hawick was misread as "tweed" in London and so a distinctive cloth acquired a specific name which it has retained ever since.Fact|date=September 2008

Fleece weight

* Average convert|1|-|1.5|kg|lb|abbr=on

Lambs

On the poor grazing of the breed's native Isles the lambing percentage is about 130%. However, when the ewes are on better pasture, twin lambs are common.

Colours and patterns

Many of the numerous colours and patterns have Shetland dialect names.

Eleven main colours are recognised (most including many different shades): Light Grey, Grey, White, Emsket (dusky bluish-grey), Musket (light greyish-brown), Shaela (dark steely-grey), Black, Fawn, Moorit (reddish), Mioget (honey-toned, yellowish-brown), Dark Brown.

Over thirty different coat patterns are recognised, incorporating various combinations of the colours. They include Catmoget (dark belly and dark shading around nose and eyes, lighter elsewhere), Gulmoget (light belly, dark face with light marks around eyes, dark elsewhere), Yuglet (generally light with dark "panda" patches around eyes), Bleset (dark with white blaze down face), Smirslet (white marking around muzzle), Bersugget (irregular patches of different colours) and Bielset (with a collar of a differing colour).

ee also

*Shetland animal breeds

External links

* [http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/ssbg/ Shetland Sheep Breeders' Society] (for sheep outside the Shetlands): see links to pages showing colours and patterns.
* [http://www.shetland-sheep.co.uk/shetland.htm Shetland Sheep Society] (for sheep on the Shetlands)