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The organic sheep
The wool from organic sheep used comes from sheep, kept under the same strict organic standards, for the production of organic meat. These standards ensure that amongst the many regulations, sheep are feed an organic diet, are not routinely given antibiotics or worming treatments and are not dipped in Organo-phosphate (OP) sheep dips.
Jacob Sheep
The Jacob sheep is a primitive multihorned sheep breed, patterned with black and white spots. Jacobs are grown for their wool, their meat, and their hides, but they make good pets as well. The wool of the Jacob sheep varies with the animal in question. In general, Jacobs have open fleeces weighing no more than about five pounds and of medium-fine quality. Jacobs are white sheep with black spots, although not all spotted sheep are Jacobs. The ideal Jacob has sharply delineated spots (without excessive freckling), and spots over the eyes, on the nose, and on the knees. Jacob sheep are hardy animals with high resistance to parasites and disease. Hooves generally only need trimming once a year, even on soft pasture, and sheep only need shearing once a year. Jacobs are seasonal breeders and twins are common. Jacobs do not show much flocking behavior. They can be skittish if not used to people, although with daily handling they will become very tame and make good pets. The two-coloured coat of the Jacob sheep is ideal to create different shades of colours, but blending white with brown/black together. Our silver-grey yarn is a blend of white Llanwenog sheep and brown Jacob sheep.
Llanwenog Sheep
The development of Llanwenog sheep began in the late 19th century when Shropshire Down sheep were introduced to the Teifi valley in West Wales. Crossbreeding with the local hill ewe (a now extinct, horned blackface, the Llanllwni, named after the mountain it was kept on) produced a polled, blackface ewe which combined the merits of both parents, notably the wool, meat and conformation of the ram with the hardiness and milkiness of the Llanllwni. However, it was prolifacy - which particularly stimulated the interest of agriculturalists and in 1957 the Llanwenog Sheep Society was established to develop and promote the breed. The breed is designated as 'semi-lowland', in other words it will thrive on land up to 1,000ft above sea level, but has sufficient size to take advantage of better lowland pasture. The ewes are very hardy and will thrive at heights more than 1,000ft above sea level but, not being a true hill breed, the lambs are not born with the type of coat which enables them to survive at a greater height. Nowadays however, with the swing towards indoor lambing that aspect is no longer so important, although it can affect how quickly the ewes and their lambs can be turned out after lambing if the land is very high and exposed.
Copyright: www.llanwenog-sheep.co.uk
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