Scottish Blackface

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The Scottish Blackface Sheep is also know as Blackfaced Highland, Kerry, Linton, Scottish Mountain, Scottish Highland, Scotch Blackface and Scotch Horn. The breed 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 in both sexes, 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 breed was developed on the borders of England and Scotland but it is not clear exactly when these sheep became a distinct breed.

Early monastery records show that monks in the Twelfth Century raised sheep that are the progenitors of the modern Scottish Blackface breed. The monks used the wool of the dun-faced sheep, as they were often called, for their own clothing and exported large amounts to Europe. Latter records show that in 1503 James the IV of Scotland established a flock of 5,000 Scottish Blackface Sheep in Ettrick Forest in the area south of Peebles in the Borders. Today the Blackface is the most "important" breed in the British Isles. Roughly thirty percent of all sheep in the UK are Scottish Blackface. The Blackface epitomizes the mountain sheep. They have long coarse wool that shields them from moisture and biting winds. They are able to survive the harshest winters in the most extreme parts of Great Britain.

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.

Image:Scot Blackface ewe triplets bel.jpg

The introduction of Black Faced Highland sheep to America first occurred in June, 1861, Hugh Brodie imported one ram and two ewes for Brodie & Campbell, New York Mills, New York. In 1867 this flock and increase was purchased by T. L. Harison of Morley, St. Lawrence County, New York. Isaac Stickney of New York also imported a small flock about 1867 for his farm in Illinois.

Blackface ewes are excellent mothers and will often attempt to defend their lambs against predators. They are good milkers and are able to yield a lamb crop and a wool clip even when on marginal pastures. The breed spread from the border areas during the Nineteenth Century to the highlands and the islands of Scotland. They also crossed to Northern Ireland and the US. There are flocks scattered across the USA but this robust little breed has remained a minor breed in North America. Blackface lambs yield a carcass ideal for the modern consumer. The meat is free of superfluous fat and waste and is known the world over for its distinct flavor. Although they are not large sheep they have enormous potential for the production of high quality lean lamb for today's health conscious consumer. There has never been a case of natural occurring Scrapie in a Scottish Blackface Sheep. In a controlled study in the UK goats and Blackface where infected by researchers but there is not one documented case of naturally spread scrapie in a Blackface raised in the USA or the UK. Scrapie, an invariably fatal disease of sheep and goats, is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). The putative infectious agent is the host-encoded prion protein, PrP.

Wool

Scottish Blackface wool is a specialty wool in a class of its own. It does not compete with other wools at all and has no competition in its own particular field. There are variations in type of fleece according to the way the sheep were bred. In a general way, there're the south west type (short wool) and the central Scotland type (long wool). The southwest type is the finer, with a Bradford count of forty or so, generally classed as short or medium, ewes fleece of 3 to 4 1/2 lbs. greasy. The central type is a stronger wool classed as long or deep strong; this type gives a ewe fleece of 5 to 61/2 lbs, greasy. The main markets are the mattress and upholstery trade, carpet and heavy cloth trade. Strong Blackface wool undoubtedly makes the best mattress filling there is: the demand for this is very good. The carpet trade all over the world (even New Zealand and Australia) uses large quantities of the medium class of Scottish Blackface wool. The finer wools are used for blending into many of the strong wearing clothes, over-coating,working tweeds and heavy blankets, The finest Scottish Blackface wool goes to the famous Harris tweed trade.

Artistsians have long treasured the horns of the Blackface for the carving of shepherds crooks and walking sticks. In the US the fleeces are becoming of interest to fiber artists and hand spinners for use in tapestry and the making of rugs and saddle blankets.

[edit] Registration

The registration of Blackface Sheep in the UK is done through The Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association, Aileen McFadzean, Braeview, Drumharvie, Crieff, Scotland, PH7 3PG, Tel / Fax 01764,683746, Mobile 07768 820405.

In North America the Scottish Blackface Sheep is registered with The Scottish Blackface Breeders Association, Mr. Dick Harward, 1699 H H Hwy., Willow Springs, MO 65793 (417) 962-5466.