Bluefaced Leicester Sheep

The Bluefaced Leicester is one of the ‘newer’ generations of the Leicester Family, a continuation of the work commenced by Robert Bakewell and his disciples, the Culley Brothers.

In 1839, at a farm in East Appleton, North Yorkshire, a ram called 'Bluecap' was born. His Sire was a Leicester Longwool, his dam a Ewe from the Teeswater valleys; his skin was dark blue, his fleece white, soft with long locks. He became the founder of the Wendsleydale breed.

It is believed that local farmers in the Hexham area of Northumberland looked to develop a sheep to improve their stock; using Leicester Sheep, most likely dark skinned Border Leicester’s,  together with  some Wendsleydale, they created the Hexham Leicester around the late 1800's.This is now known as the Bluefaced Leicester. It indeed was an improving sire, founding the 'Mule' now used as the mainstay of the British Ewe flock.

 

 

 the combination of the Gene pool used created a Sheep with one of the finest fleeces of any breed.

In addition the combination of the Gene pool used created a Sheep with one of the most sort after fleeces of any breed;  is fine and dense with a good lustre and is long, well suited to combing. This attractive lustrous yarn has good resilience, with a micron range around 26; and comes in both white and coloured varieties.

White Ewe

Coloured Ewe

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