Shetland; a great all round sheep, but misunderstood.
We love our Shetland sheep, they are so colourful and have a lovely shape. They originate from the Shetland Isles and thrive in our cold, northerly climate.
They are quite popular with hobby farmers, and if kept in too warm a climate can encounter problems with foot rot and flies. However, here in the north of Scotland they are in their element. They hardly ever have foot problems, we have never seen fly strike in them and they keep fit and healthy on our hilly land.
Our shetland sheep enjoy a varied diet of native grasses, wildflowers, weeds and go crazy for dock leaves! We feed them the odd treat of sheep nuts to keep them tame, so every time we go into the field they rush to greet us and sometimes give our hands a friendly nuzzle to check if we have treats.
Shetland Sheep are great mothers, they have not been intensively breed with larger sheep so they are easily able to give birth to their lambs, we almost never have to intervene to pull out a lamb that is struggling to be born. Compare this to a commercial breed south where the farmer might be assisting in 15% of lambings. A shetland sheep lambing is a lovely calm experience for all involved.
Shetland Lambs are really hardy as they are a native breed, which are able to stand and suck its mother within a few minutes. The mother is fiercely protective of her lamb and sometimes digs tiny hollows to protect the lamb while she grazes.
So Why are Shetland Sheep Misunderstood?
Shetland sheep are generally regarded as completely wild, who jump over any fence and cannot be tamed.
Our experience is that if the sheep is happy in its field, with enough food, shelter and water it will not jump the fence. In fact it’s only ever the curious little lambs that venture through a gap in a fence.
Our Shetland sheep are tame enough to come to a bucket and eat from your hand.
History of these Native Sheep
Shetland sheep originate in the Shetland islands, 170 miles north of Mainland UK. They were probably introduced to the islands by the Vikings. We know this as they share a number of characteristics commonly found in other Norse breeds, such as Norwegiean Spaelsau and Icelandic Sheep.
Shetland Fleece Characteristics
Overall the fleece from a Shetland sheep is soft, versatile and a joy to work with. The neck wool is the finest wool and can be used for lace weight, although you may find that every part of the fleece is more fine to work with than a commercial breed.
The fleece is a traditional choice and great for adding natural colours into your crafts.
The fleece is as individual as the sheep itself, so the colour variations and patterns are enormous.
If you’ve never spun a shetland fleece before, give it a go!
Find out more about Shetland Sheep
Here are some useful links to learn more about the breed