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Welsh Hill Speckled Face
EFABIS Data
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International Name |
Welsh Hill
Speckled Face |
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Local Name |
Welsh Hill Speckled
Face
or Speckles |
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Location |
North Wales |
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Breeding females
(year) |
19.299 |
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Trend of population size |
decrease |
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Flock book established |
1964 |
Origin – history
The Welsh Hill
Speckled Face originated in the hills of central Wales and was
developed from the Kerry Hill and Welsh Mountain sheep.
Breed description
The Welsh Hill
Speckled Face is a very hardy breed and is a very adaptable breed.
It can survive the harsh upland winters with minimum input and are
well suited to the relatively harsh environment of the mid and north
Welsh mountains. The breed also adapts well to lowland systems and
conditions.
The pure bred ewes make excellent mothers, lambing outside from
mid-March to mid-April. Ewe lambs are usually sent to over winter on
lowland farms for the first winter, and are mated in their first
year, while the wethers provide a sweet hill carcass.
They are relatively small sheep. The rams weigh 70 kg, with the ewes
weighing 50 kg.
They are used for the production of meat and wool, and for
crossbreeding.
Draft ewes are sold down to the lowlands to produce lambs for three
years or more, being crossed with the Blueface Leicester to produce
the much sought after Welsh Mule
The distinctiveness of the breed is due to the markings on the face.
The breed is white, and only the males are sometimes horned. It has
a black muzzle as well as black markings around the eyes and ears.
There are also black markings on front legs at the knee and on all
feet. The fleece is both fine and tight.
The flock book was
established in 1964.
Conservation activities
Insitu
The breed is marketed as Welsh Lamb.
The Breed society members have a production improvement scheme with
Sire Indexing Ram lambs performance tested.
Exsitu
Cryopreservation of semen, NSP storage, Innovis, 10714 doses
Contact:
The breed society is the Welsh Hill Speckled Face Sheep Society.
The Breed Society Secretary is Mr Ron Griffiths, Nanty Farm,
Pantmawr, Llanidloes,
Powys SY18 6SY - Tel: +44 (0)1686440279
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