Scottish Blackface

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The Scottish Blackface is the most common breed of sheep in the United Kingdom. This tough and adaptable breed is often found in the more exposed locations, such as the Scottish Highlands or roaming on the moors of Dartmoor.

Blackfaces are horned, and as their name suggests, they usually have a black face (but sometimes with white markings), and black legs.

The origins of the breed are uncertain. The Blackface is first mentioned in records kept in 12th century monasteries. In the 16th century, King James IV of Scotland is known to have established a flock in Ettrick Forest, to the south of Peebles in the Scottish Borders.

Several types of Scottish Blackface have evolved over the years, but the most common are the Perth variety, which is large framed, with a longer coat, and mainly found in north-east Scotland, Devon, Cornwall and Northern Ireland, and the medium-framed Lanark type, with shorter wool, commonly found in Scotland and Ireland.

[edit] See also

• Domestic sheep
• Guard llama, llamas used as livestock guardians.
• Sheep shearing
• Wool