Posted at 07:38 AM in Food and Drink, Rare wools, Sheep: Soay, Wool, Wools, rare breed | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Digg This | Save to del.icio.us | May 17, 2012. The breeders listed here have contributed to the Open Flockbook Project. Many people who spin wool enjoy the rare and primitive look of the fleece. to watch. Ideal for reenactment, homesteading etc. To establish or expand your own flock of Soay sheep, please contact any or all of us. The fleece is, normally, shed naturally. The wool industry has tried to eliminate colored sheep and wool for centuries. For hundreds of years St.Kildans rowed from Hirta to Soay in the summer to collect fleece from the shedding native sheep that lived there. Partially shed Soay ewe, Hirta Ram in the village area that has fully shed his fleece. Their wool makes a fine, soft worsted-spun knitting yarn or a strong, woollen-spun hardwearing yarn for rugs or throws, and also takes dye well. They are smart, social, hardy, and extraordinarily agile. sheep are classified as "vulnerable" on the RBST survival watch list. Ewes that don’t lamb often don’t shed. The Soay (Ovis aries) is a small Scottish wool sheep which is often grouped with the northern short-tailed breeds but it is in fact more primitive. Its colour is a mix of flecked colours. are two-horned and the horns are strong. Fleeces are grey or creamy white on the body, though darker individuals occur whose colouring is similar to the Soay sheep. Their fleece is unique with a staple length of 5-15cm and a weight of up to 2kg. Margaret B. Russell of Antrim Handweaving (http://www.antrimhandweaving.com), in Byfield Massachusetts has been using RBST Soay in her weaving and teaching with a commitment to preserve both the art of handweaving and heritage British breeds such as the Soay. Jacob B Frank 1 year ago Any dairy hair sheep? Its origins are in the wilds of western Scotland and its most important characteristic is its variety - variety in size, shape, wool and temperament. How did they arrive at the St. Kilda islands and Soay brown Soay sheep that survives in a feral state on St Kilda off north-west Scotland. woodland and on hillsides. and rams 70-80 lbs. of them they talk of intelligent, nimble animals with excellent Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival 2012. craft uses and their carcass produces lean meat of a delicious flavour Reply. The SDG Farm is located in Addison County, Vermont, in the Town of Whiting. 5 out of 5 stars (8) 8 reviews $ 5.23. Ewes can appear polled, scurred or horned while rams are either scurred or horned. Menu Skip to content. The fleece is, normally, shed naturally. WOOL AND FIBER: Soay, an Ancient Breed, a Novelty wool . Ewes that don’t lamb often don’t shed. In 1932 this island was evacuated and, in 1932, 107 Soay sheep (20 rams, 44 ewes, 22 ram lambs and 21 ewe lambs) were brought from the island of Soay and released. This breed is one of the Northern European short-tail breeds and produces extremely fine wool. Soay sheep are fine-boned and late maturing, with prominent withers. The tail is short and thin. No one really knows. from soft fine wool to more coarse hairy fibres (or "kemps"), and British Registered Soay sheep WOOL, FIBER AND MEAT . Soay fleece has a short staple and some hairs as well as wool. mixtures in-between. View Replies (1) Pam 1 year ago I live in the country and know people who raise some of these varieties for meat sales and they do pretty well. Ewes can be polled, scurred or horned and rams are either horned or scurred. Naturally short tailed, these sheep do not need their tails docked, and because they molt in the spring they generally do not need to be shorn. Wool can be collected just before shedding by either plucking (“rooing”) or shearing if desired. While the double coat contains finer and coarser fibers, the two types can be hard to differentiate. when? In the mid-1800s, Whiting had more than 4000 head of sheep (among 23 flocks) at the time that Vermont was the leading wool-producing state in the union. We do not currently have any Soay wool products in stock. December 20, 2016 January 7, 2017 / Amanda Morningstar / Leave a comment. Home; About Us; Search. If the wool is rooed (hand plucked) the guard hairs remain on the animal to fall out later, making for a cleaner softer fleece. mothering habits, always with quirky behavioural traits and lots of fun Scurred rams have been Card,greeting card, blank inside, happy birthday, celebration card,anniversary,sheep, Soay sheep, Rare breed sheep, ewes, wool GillsPhotogifts. No one is certain of its origins, however, it is thought to be the remnant of a prehistoric semi-domestic sheep brought to Britain prior to the invasion of the Romans; certainly the Soay is the UK's oldest surviving livestock breed. Weaver says the sheep look pretty ratty for awhile, but you don't have to shear them. It is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep breeds. Soay sheep naturally shed their wool which can be plucked, rather than sheared, in the Spring or early Summer. Soay are small, averaging 45-60 pounds for ewes and 60-70 for males. Soay wool varies from light to dark brown, and is naturally shed in the late spring and summer after lambing. Ewes are either two-horned, polled, or scurred. The coloured fleece is sought after for many NOTE: The photos at the beginning of this article are mainland (UK) sheep because we have only visited St. Kilda in the summer months when fleece differences are not as obvious as when they have their winter coats . Soay are very hardy and healthy sheep, very rarely suffering from foot problems or flystrike. I'm so far behind on blogging that I'll never catch up, so here's an overview of this year's wonderful Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The Soay sheep is a breed of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) descended from a population of feral sheep on the 100-hectare (250-acre) island of Soay in the St Kilda Archipelago, about 65 kilometres (40 mi) from the Western Isles of Scotland. The sheep are also fine boned, very nimble and intelligent animals, and the … Some also have white patches. They love browsing and eating weeds and shrub making them ideal for conservation grazing. They are a small short tailed breed of sheep that naturally shed their wool coat in the spring months. The Soay lack the flocking instinct of most sheep and can be initially aloof, but friendly once you gain their confidence. Although the joints are small, Soay meat is unlike any other breed, being The fleece is normally 'roo'ed', or peeled from the sheep, and this leaves the hairs behind to fall out later, while the soft wool can then be spun without pricky bits. Soay They are similar to the mouflon seen wild in Corsica, Bronze Age. The texture of their wool can vary, While the double coat contains finer and coarser fibers, the two types can be hard to differentiate. Sardinia and Cyprus. In our experience annual production per animal averages one and two pounds of fleece with a staple length of one to three inches and quality of 44s-50s (36-29 microns). They are excellent conservation grazers, being content in Unlike domestic breeds, Soay sheep shed their fleece naturally in the spring/early summer and at this time all of the wool is collected from the fields, places where the sheep have rubbed against the fences or trees. The texture of their wool can vary, from soft fine wool to more coarse hairy fibres (or “kemps”), and mixtures in-between. sheep are fine-boned and late maturing, with prominent withers. The wool is extremely fine and fleeces have a soft inner coat with outer coarser hairs which can be removed before spinning. I have a small flock and they’re awesome! Never-the less many white breeds of sheep have recessive color genetics buried in their genomes. While some Soay sheep were relocated to form exotic flocks, this breed has largely remained feral and helps Soay’s ecosystem with its excellent agility, allowing it to graze in areas domestic sheep cannot. These lovely sheep are listed as at risk by the rare Breed Survival Trust. Unlike modern white wooly sheep, the Soay varies in color from a light brown to virtually black coat on the upper body and a white belly. Soay Soay sheep generally shed their entire fleece naturally, which means it has to be either collected in the field or plucked (rooed) from the animal in spring or early summer. Soay are much smaller than modern domesticated sheep. The breed has fine fleece ranging in color from tan to dark brown and black. 3. A tweed is a rough-surfaced coarse cloth, typically made in Scotland. The Soay are small framed, good legs and a fleece varying from light to dark brown and sheds naturally in the summer. The Soay sheep is a breed of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) descended from a population of feral sheep on the 250-acre (100 ha) island of Soay in the St. Kilda Archipelago, about 65 kilometres (40 mi) from the Western Isles of Scotland.It is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep breeds.. The Soay sheep is an old breed of sheep that descended from feral sheep on the small island of Soay in the St. Kilda Achipelago. British Soay wool is cherished by hand spinners, an art mastered by determination and patience. Although the fleece was picked over and most of the debris picked out, it does still have a little straw here and there. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Whiting had a human population of 419. Like antelope, Soay sheep “stott” (sprint-jump on all fours) when alarmed or exuberant. fetching premium prices for the gourmet trade. Still River Mill, a small family operated spinning mill in Eastford, Connecticut also now has expertise in processing British Soay fiber if hand spinning is not an option. White wool can be dyed any color, whereas dying options starting with colored wool are limited and unpredictable. 8. But what we do know is that when owners talk Ewes grow to 40-50 lbs. Soay sheep have wool they shed. Soay Wool Products. Evidence for this comes from the similarity of skeletal remains with those of the Soay, 4Ryder, op cit., I8 THE AGRICULTURAL HISTORY REVIEW BLACK-FACED HORNED WHITE-FACED HORNED LONOWOOLS SHEEP NOTED FOR FINE WOOL NO CLEAR INFORMATION ¢~ I FIGURE 2 Distribution of the breed types about … The islanders frequently went there for … The remarkably fine fleece can be variable in quality. From shop GillsPhotogifts. Reply. are unlike any other sheep, being the most primitive with very varied The Soay is a small (45 to 90 pound), hardy domestic sheep. While I have never been much of a knitter or crocheter, I have always found the hobby to be very intriguing. Contact us for availability of wool. Soay do not require shearing since they will cast (shed) their wool in spring. In the spring, Soay fleece comes off by itself in clumps. We love sharing our knowledge of Soay Sheep with interested breeders and beginners. If you are interested in purchasing lambs or wool, or have any questions at all just e-mail us! The island of Soay is about 65 kilometers from the Western Isles of Scotland. Yarn can be processed for knitting or for weaving. The tail is short and thin. The texture of their wool can vary, from soft fine wool to more coarse hairy fibres (or "kemps"), and mixtures in-between. It is believed Neolithic farmers began domesticating Soay for wool which is hand-plucked (rooed) as they molt in spring. Name of these animals is derived from the island of Soay. The tenant islanders kept their sheep on Hirta and Boreray, whilst the Soay sheep, which belonged to the proprietor, lived separately on their native isle of Soay. Introducing Soay Sheep. It is made from raw wool so still has the lanolin present... and the sheepy smell It is 18 inches wide and 27 inches long. If we don't have what you are looking for we probably know someone that does, and if we don't have the answer - we'll find someone who does. Spinning is achieved by twisting fiber into a continuous thread by hand with a drop spindle or by using a spinning wheel. The remarkably fine fleece can be variable in quality. We believe that cooperation is the key to long-term success in breeding and marketing Soay sheep. Rough in quality, the wool is mostly used in the creation of tweeds or carpet yarns. Rams These hardy, golden white long lustre-woolled sheep are effectively responsible for the smooth landscapes of Gloucestershire! characteristics plus a history that evokes a romanticism back to the They were larger than the Soay and grew creamy white wool coats. The fleece is, normally, shed naturally. Juniata Valley Soay Sheep Homesteading Adventures at the Longfellow House. Middle photo by Christine Williams, www.gaerllwyd.co.uk Soay wool varies from light to dark brown, and is naturally shed in the late spring and summer after lambing. The rooed (hand plucked) wool they collected was taken back to Hirta to be processed later in the year. The tail is short and thin. The males of this breed are horned and the females may be either polled or horned. They are a hardy small breed originally from Scotland. It has descended from a population of feral sheep on the 250 acre island of Soay in the St. Kilda Archipelago. observed on Hirta, and occur occasionally in sheep owners' flocks. Soay wool is usually short. Soay make fantastic mothers, the lambs are very alert and up on their feet in minutes. Soay sheep are fine-boned and late maturing, with prominent withers. A few are solid black. Whiting was established om August 6th, 1763. Soay Ewe fully shed, Ruaival, Hirta. Search for: Wool Hand Spinning Lessons. 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