Norfolk Horn facts for kids
The Norfolk Horn is a special type of sheep from England. It's also known by names like Blackface Norfolk Horned or Old Norfolk. Unlike many other sheep breeds, the Norfolk Horn is quite light and very tough. It's known for having a black face and black legs. Farmers mostly raise these sheep for their meat.
What Makes the Norfolk Horn Special?
This unique sheep breed first appeared on the sandy heathland areas of Norfolk, England. It's perfectly suited to live in cool, dry places where there isn't much good food. The Norfolk Horn is long-legged and both male and female sheep have horns. The horns on the males are usually much bigger. An adult female sheep, called a ewe, weighs about 70 kilograms (154 pounds). These sheep are known for being very active and can even jump over fences, a bit like goats!
How the Norfolk Horn Breed Changed
The Norfolk Horn was very popular in Norfolk until the mid-1800s. At that time, new and "improved" sheep breeds like the Leicester and Southdown started to become popular. Farmers began to breed Norfolk Horn ewes with Southdown rams. This mix created a new, high-quality sheep breed known as the Suffolk.
Saving the Norfolk Horn Sheep
By 1919, there was only one flock of Norfolk Horn sheep left! Luckily, a man named J. D. Sayer worked hard to save them. He helped the flock grow again. Later, he divided his flock and gave half to a university that studied animals.
In 1950, there were still only 10 registered female sheep (ewes) and two male sheep (rams) of this breed. But there were also some unregistered sheep. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) also helped bring the Norfolk Horn back from the edge. They worked at places like the National Agricultural Centre and Aldenham Country Park.
Because there were so few purebred male sheep, especially after the last one died in 1973, breeders had to be creative. They used related sheep like the Suffolk, and even some unrelated breeds like the Wiltshire Horn and Swaledale. This helped them create new sheep that were mostly Norfolk Horn (more than 90%).
In 1986, the RBST officially recognized the Norfolk Horn again. It was listed as "Category 1, Critical," meaning it was in serious danger. Thanks to all these efforts, the number of Norfolk Horn sheep has grown. By 2007, it was listed as "Category 4, At Risk," which means it's still rare but much safer than before.
