Border Leicester Sheep
Early History of Leicester Sheep
Sheep with long, lustrous wool have been in Leicestershire, England since the earliest recorded history of the British Isles and are responsible for the improvement and development of other longwool breeds. Robert Bakewell (1726-95), third-generation farmer who resided at Dishley in Leicestershire, is credited with improvement of the Leicester sheep and also played an important role in the development of the Shire horse and Longhorn cattle. The breeding practices he used and advocated, mating closely related individuals to get desired type, were also influential in the early improvement of many other breeds of livestock.
Today there are three distinct breeds of Leicester sheep. The English or "Dishley" (Bakewell's improved breed), the Blueface or "Hexham" and the Border Leicester. The English is the largest of the Leicester breeds and has a long, heavy fleece in the 40s-46s range. English Leicesters resemble the Lincoln in appearance with a topknot of wool and ears set lower on the head than either the Blueface or Border Leicester. Head skin on the Blueface shows dark blue through white hair, distinguishing it from the Border Leicester which has pink skin. The Blueface and Border Leicester are of similar size and both have the Roman nose and erect ears but fleece on the Blueface typically grades finer (56s-60s) and is shorter in length and lighter weight than that of the Border Leicester. The English and Blueface breeds are uncommon in North America today.
The Border Leicester breed was founded in 1767 by George & Matthew Culley of Fenton, Northumberland, England. They were friends of Bakewell and had access to his improved Leicesters. Some feel that the Culley brothers developed the Border Leicester by crossing Bakewell's improved Leicester rams with Teeswater ewes. Others argue that Cheviot blood was introduced. Perhaps both are correct. In any case, the breed was firmly established in England by 1850 and Border Leicesters have now surpassed the old English Leicester in popularity in the British Isles and in other countries. A separate class for Border Leicesters, distinct from the English Leicester, was first held at the Highland Show in Scotland in 1869. In 1898, the Society of Border Leicester Sheep Breeders was organized with headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Leicesters in North America
The English Leicester is said to have been introduced into the United States by George Washington, who kept a small purebred flock of Leicesters and used the rams extensively in his flock of 800 head at Mount Vernon. And in 1854, the Champion Ram at the first Minnesota State Fair was a Leicester owned by J.G. Lennon of Ramsey County. The original American Leicester Breeders Association was established in 1888. It is not known when the first Border Leicester sheep arrived in the U.S. or Canada but we do know that the 1920 census lists 767 purebred Border Leicesters in the United States. However, the decline of the wool carpet industry in the 1940's resulted in reduced numbers of all longwool breeds including the English and Border Leicesters.
By the 1970's, increased interest in handspinning and other crafts had rekindled interest in these unique sheep with their distinguished heads and long, curly, lustrous wool. Though Border Leicesters in North America have been kept primarily in small purebred flocks, progressive commercial breeders in increasing numbers are realizing greater profits with the breed. Border Leicesters give them rapidly growing, high-quality market lambs as well as a much sought after specialty wool crop.
Registered flocks are to be found in all parts of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. Sheep have been exported widely in the early years to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, more recently to France, Spain, Portugal, Canada, U.S.A., Columbia, British Guiana, India, Japan, Yugoslavia, Iran, Hungary, Russia, China and Turkey.
In Australia and New Zealand the breed at present is very strong - in Australia where the Border Leicester Merino cross female is the leading prime lamb mother, there are 990 registered Border Leicester breeders.
Perhaps the best description of the Border Leicester breed can most easily be given from the detailed account of a shearling ram at 18 months old. He will stand about 32 inches (81cm) at the shoulder, and will measure about 40 inches (102cm) from the crown on the head to tail. He has a wide level back, well and evenly fleshed that is firm under the hand, well sprung ribs, with a level underline.
The head is important, and indicates the presence or absence of the robustness of constitution, and the ability to grow and mature rapidly.
The head should be thoroughly masculine with a well developed muzzle, and the nostrils should be wide and black.
The eye should be clear, bold and dark, the crown smooth and clear of wool, the ears should be of good length carried at an alert angle and covered with hair.
Teeth should be regular and meet the pad, neither undershot not overshot.
The neck, tapering nicely from the head, should be strongly set at the shoulders, and the back should be long, level and well fleshed. The gigot should be well filled.
The legs must be squarely set under the body, strong with clean flat bones, covered with white hair, and free from wool. The feet should be sound and dark in colour.
The whole body should be evenly covered with white wool of even quality, densely planted and of a good length at 20cm in a mature sheep.
If the ram has all these desirable characteristics he will be evenly balanced, be able to move freely, and carry himself with style.
The description may be applied to a shearling ewe or gimmer, making due allowance for the difference in sex. She is, of course, sweeter and milder in countenances, and less strongly built than the ram, but she must have that size and substance which are inseparable from a sound and robust constitution.
The fleece weight from mature females ranges from 8 to 12 pounds with a yield of 65 to 80 percent. The stable length of the fleece ranges from five to ten inches (12.5-25cm) with a numeric count of 36 to 48 which is 38.5 to 30.0 microns.
Mature rams weigh from 225 to 325 pounds (102-147 kg) and ewe weights range from 175 to 275 pounds (79-124 kg).
Breed Associations and Registries
Reference:
American Border Leicester Association, Secretary Di Waibel, PO Box 947, Canby, OR 97013, 503-266-7156, momfarm@canby.com
British Sheep and Wool, British Wool Marketing Board, Oak Mills, Station Rd., Clayton, Bradford. 112 pp.
Who's Who in U.S. Sheep Breeds(poster), American Sheep Industry Assn., Inc.; 6911 S. Yosemite St. Suite 200; Englewood, CO 80112-1414 Phone: (303) 771-3500 FAX: (303) 771-8200
Information and text taken from :
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/borderleicester/index.htm
and
http://www.borderleicester.com/