British Milksheep facts for kids

The British Milksheep is a strong type of sheep. It's special because it's good for two things: producing lots of milk and also for its meat.

History of the British Milksheep

This sheep breed was first called the Alderbred. It was created by a man named Lawrence Alderson and his wife Mary. They lived in places called Wiltshire and Northumberland in England.

The British Milksheep was sent to many countries. These included Hungary, France, and Greece. Today, you can find them mostly in the UK, Hungary, and Canada. Sadly, many of these sheep in Britain were lost during a sheep disease outbreak in 2001.

How the Breed Was Developed

The exact mix of sheep used to create the British Milksheep isn't fully known. But it was based on strong, productive sheep. These included Dorset Horn, Bluefaced Leicester, and Eastrip Prolific sheep. Other sheep like Lleyn, Texel, and East Friesian were also used.

The Alderson family chose sheep that were good at producing milk or meat. They didn't worry too much about how the sheep looked. Over time, the sheep started to look more alike. They were raised in tough conditions in northern England. This helped them become strong and adaptable.

At first, the family kept all the female sheep. They only sold the male sheep (rams). But in 1981, they started selling groups of female sheep to other farmers. The number of British Milksheep grew quickly. By the mid-1980s, there were over 5,000 breeding female sheep in Britain.

As its name suggests, this sheep produces a lot of milk. Many large dairy farms started using them. But it's also a strong sheep good for meat, not just a special dairy breed. Male British Milksheep are often used to breed with other sheep. This helps create very productive lambs. The good quality of their meat and wool are also helpful traits.

In other countries, the British Milksheep is used more for milk. But it's also used to breed with local sheep. For example, in France, it helped create the Boulonnais breed.

What British Milksheep Look Like

The British Milksheep has a white face and a clean head. It doesn't have horns. It has a large, strong body and a good shape.

Size and Meat Quality

When fully grown, male British Milksheep weigh about 103 kg (227 lb). Female sheep weigh around 79 kg (174 lb) on average. They are known for having good quality meat.

In Hungary, tests were done to compare meat production. Lambs from British Milksheep fathers had better meat quality. Their meat was also more tender than lambs from other sheep breeds.

Milking and Lambing Characteristics

The British Milksheep is known for having many lambs. Female sheep (ewes) usually have more than 3 lambs at a time. This means more lambs survive per ewe.

In the early days of the breed, some amazing records were set. It wasn't unusual for a ewe to have six lambs at once! One ewe even had 44 lambs in her lifetime over 10 times she gave birth.

Tests in Scotland showed that British Milksheep mixes were very productive. They were 11% more productive than some other popular sheep mixes. They were also 26% more productive than others.

The amount of milk a ewe produces depends on how well the farm is managed. It can range from 250 to over 400 litres of milk. This is over a 210-day period. The milk has about 6% fat and 6% protein.

Some farms still use pure British Milksheep for dairy. They produce milk for people who are allergic to cow's milk. They also make ice cream and special cheeses. This happens in northern England and Canada.

Some people claim that ewes can produce even more milk. They say up to 900 L (240 US gal) in 300 days. But these claims have not been officially checked.

In Hungary, tests compared milk production. British Milksheep mixes produced more milk than other sheep mixes. They yielded 90-130 litres of milk. This was more than the 60-80 litres from Lacaune mixes. It was also more than the 80-105 litres from Awassi mixes.

Wool Characteristics

Female British Milksheep produce about 4 kg (8.8 lb) of wool. Male sheep produce about 6.5 kg (14 lb) of wool. The wool is good for spinning, with a quality of 50 to 54s. The length of the wool fibers is usually 12 to 18 cm (4.7 to 7.1 in).