English Leicester are an English breed of sheep. Alternate names for the breed include: Leicester, Bakewell Leicester, Dishley Leicester, Improved Leicester, Leicester Longwool, and New Leicester. They were originally developed by 18th century breeding innovator Robert Bakewell.[1]
It is now one of Britain's rarest breeds, categorised as "endangered" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust since there are fewer than 500 registered breeding females in the United Kingdom.[2]
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English Leicester sheep date back to the 1700s and were found in the Midland Counties of England. It was developed by a man called Robert Bakewell who was the foremost exponent of modern animal breeding techniques in the selection of livestock. The English Leicester back in the 1700s was slow growing and coarsely boned. These days the animals have been developed to gain weight quickly and are fast growing. English Leicester was one of the first pure sheep breeds introduced to Australia being introduced in 1826. The English Leicester has been used to improve many sheep breeds because of its meaty carcase and heavy fleece. It is one of the few breeds that are truly pure.
The neck of a Leicester should be of medium length. The shoulders should be strong and level with the back which should be flat.
The common fibre diameter for an English Leicester is 32 to 38 micrometres (microns). The English Leicester should appear to be alert and robust, showing style and character.
The English Leicester is currently found in Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and the US. They are a sound footed sheep which means they are acceptable on flat, hilly or more especially marginal country. They are large framed sheep with a wide even topline (back) a strong constitution and a good temperament.