Easycare facts for kids

The Easycare is a special type of sheep that was first developed in the United Kingdom during the 1960s. These sheep were bred mainly for their meat. They are called "Easycare" because they need less looking after than many other sheep breeds.

How Easycare Sheep Were Developed

The Easycare sheep breed was created by a person named Iolo Owen. He lived in Angelsey, which is in the United Kingdom. He started by crossing two different types of sheep:

• Welsh Mountain sheep
• Cheviot sheep

These first crossbred sheep were then bred twice with a special kind of sheep called the Wiltshire Horn. The Wiltshire Horn sheep is important because it naturally sheds its wool.

What Traits Were Chosen?

When Iolo Owen bred these sheep, he carefully chose the lambs that had certain helpful traits. He wanted sheep that would:

• Shed their wool naturally.
• Not have horns.
• Be "easy-care," meaning they needed less help from farmers.

This also meant choosing sheep that needed less assistance when giving birth to lambs. They were also selected to be less likely to get certain health problems like flystrike (when flies lay eggs on sheep) and lameness (problems with their legs). Some farmers who breed Easycare sheep today also choose sheep that need less medicine for worms.

The Amazing Wool-Shedding Trait

Most wild animals grow a thick coat for winter and then shed it when spring arrives. However, many modern sheep breeds were specifically bred over hundreds of years to keep their thick woolly coats. This was so farmers could shear them and sell the wool.

But now, the price of wool around the world has gone down. Sometimes, it costs more money to shear a sheep than the wool is worth! This is where Easycare sheep are really special. They are a big change from how sheep have been bred for centuries.

What is Rooing?

Easycare sheep naturally shed their coats in the spring. This process is called rooing. It means farmers don't have to shear them. This saves a lot of time and money! Unlike most other sheep breeds, Easycare sheep can live perfectly well without ever needing to be shorn.

Why Easycare Sheep Are Great for Farmers

The "easy-care" part of their name comes from several benefits they offer:

• Less help at lambing: Easycare ewes (female sheep) often have an easier time giving birth, so farmers don't need to help them as much.
• Less flystrike: Because they shed their wool, there's less wool for flies to lay eggs in, which helps prevent a painful condition called flystrike.
• Less lameness: They are generally a hardy breed, meaning they are strong and healthy, which can lead to fewer problems with their legs and feet.
• Less worming: Some breeders are choosing sheep that are naturally more resistant to worms, reducing the need for medicines.