Finnsheep

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The Finnish Landrace or Finnsheep is a breed of domestic sheep known for large lamb crops. It is not uncommon for a ewe to have three, four, or even five lambs at once. There have been several instances of seven lambs born in the USA at one time. The record in Finland is a litter of nine live lambs. The lambs are often small, but vigorous at birth, and grow well. The lambs mature early and can be bred at six months of age. Ewes commonly breed out of season and some are bred to lamb twice a year.^[1]

The Finnsheep is often used in cross breeding programs to increase lambing percentage, and Finnsheep blood is found in many of the newer breeds. In the USA the breed is promoted by the US Finnsheep Breeders Association at www.finnsheep.org.

The breed belongs to the group of Northern Short-Tailed Sheep, which includes Shetlands, Icelandics, Romanovs, Norwegian Spælsaus, the Swedish Landrace and several other breeds. All are believed to have descended from the wild Mouflon sheep.

1 Wool
2 See also
3 Notes
4 External links

[edit] Wool

While there is a range of wool fineness across individual Finnsheep, the American Sheep Industry’s American Wool Council ranks Finnsheep in the fine end of the medium wool category.^[2] The wool has a soft handle, a moderate crimp and a high luster.

Finnsheep have a similar range of fleece colors to that of Shetland and Icelandic sheep. White is genetically dominant and the most common color. Black and black/white piebald (spotted) sheep are also fairly common, while brown, grey and fawn Finnsheep are very scarce in the USA at this time. Markings such as white stockings, tail tips, white crown or facial markings including the panda-like eyespot pattern are common in colored Finnsheep.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

^ Finnsheep In Finland, by H. Goot, 1973 (Special Publication No. 28, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
^ Wool Grades and the Sheep that Grow the Wool, from the American Wool Council, a division of the American Sheep Industry Association, 6911 South Yosemite Street, Englewood, CO 80112-1414 - http://www.sheepusa.org.