The Shetland is a small, wool-producing breed of sheep originating in the Shetland Isles, Scotland but is now also kept in many other parts of the world. It is part of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, and it is closely related to the extinct Scottish Dunface.
Although Shetlands are small and slow-growing compared to commercial breeds, they are hardy, thrifty, easy lambers, adaptable and long-lived. The Shetland breed has survived for centuries in difficult conditions and on a poor diet, but they thrive in better conditions. Shetlands retain many of their primitive survival instincts, so they are easier to care for than many modern breeds.
Shetland Sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and markings. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognised patterns and markings.
By selecting from coloured fleeces, a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.
The Shetland Sheep produces very high quality meat with outstanding flavour and fine texture. As with other primitive breeds Shetlands tend to store much of their body fat around the organs rather than solely in the muscle. This results in far leaner meat than modern breeds.
Shetland Sheep are ideal candidates for conservation grazing. They are extremely hardy, self-sufficient, versatile foragers and thrive on low quality rough grassland and scrubland. They are browsers as well as grazers and will eat regenerating scrub such as Birch.
Produced by Fiona & Archie Hipwell, Cockairney Shetland Sheep
Shetland Sheep Society: www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/
Scottish Smallholder Festival: ssgf.uk/
Smallholding Scotland: smallholding.scot/
Supported by The Scottish Government and SRUC.
Scottish Government: www.gov.scot/
SRUC: www.sruc.ac.uk