Scottish Blackface facts for kids
The Blackface or Scottish Blackface is a very common type of sheep in the United Kingdom. It is the most popular sheep breed there. Even though its name makes you think it's from Scotland, this sheep actually started south of the border, in the area between England and Scotland.
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A Look Back: Where Blackface Sheep Came From
The exact beginnings of the Blackface sheep are a bit of a mystery. This breed was developed near the Anglo-Scottish border, which is the line between England and Scotland. We don't know exactly when it became its own distinct breed. It replaced an older type of sheep called the Scottish Dun-face. This older sheep was likely similar to the Shetland sheep we see today.
Different Kinds of Blackface Sheep
There are several different types of Blackface sheep found across the United Kingdom.
- The Perth type is a large sheep with coarse, rough wool. You can mostly find these in north-east Scotland, Devon, Cornwall, and Northern Ireland.
- The Lanark type is a medium-sized sheep with shorter wool. These are common in most parts of Scotland and some areas of Ireland.
- The Northumberland Blackface is a large sheep that has wool which is quite soft for this breed.
What Blackface Sheep Look Like
Blackface sheep are easy to spot! They have horns, and as their name suggests, they usually have a black face. Sometimes their faces might have some white markings. Their legs are also black.
Why Blackface Sheep Are Important
These sheep are mainly raised for their meat. Their wool is also used, but it is very coarse. This means the wool fibers are thick, about 28 to 38 micrometers wide. The wool can also be quite long, growing about 250 to 350 millimeters.
