Scottish Blackface

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A Scottish Blackface in the Outer Hebrides

A Scottish Blackface ram, circa 1890

The Blackface or Scottish Blackface is a British breed of sheep. It is the most common sheep breed of the United Kingdom. Despite the name, it did not originate in Scotland, but south of the border.^[1]: 156

History[]

The origins of the breed are uncertain. It was developed on the Anglo-Scottish border but it is not clear exactly when it became a distinct breed. It replaced the earlier Scottish Dun-face or Old Scottish Shortwool, a Northern European short-tailed sheep type probably similar to the modern Shetland.^[1]: 156

There are several types of Blackface in the United Kingdom, including the Perth variety, which is large-framed and coarse-woollen, and mainly found in north-east Scotland, Devon, Cornwall and Northern Ireland; the medium-framed Lanark type, with shorter wool, found in much of Scotland and in parts of Ireland; and the Northumberland Blackface, which is large with relatively soft wool.^[2]

Characteristics[]

Blackfaces are horned, and as their name suggests, they usually have a black face (but sometimes with white markings), and black legs.^{[citation needed]}

Use[]

This breed is primarily raised for meat.^[3] The wool is very coarse, with a fibre diameter of 28–38 μm and a staple length of about 250–350 mm.^[4]

References[]

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