| Brucklay
Pygmy Goats - Boreray Sheep |
| The
Boreray is a breed of sheep originating
on the St Kilda archipelago off the
west coast of Scotland and surviving
as a feral animal on one of the islands,
Boreray. It is primarily a meat breed.
It is the
most endangered breed of sheep in the
United Kingdom, and is one of the Northern
European short-tailed sheep group of
breeds. It is the only sheep breed
to be listed in "Category 1: Critical" by
the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, because
fewer than 300 registered breeding
female Borerays are known to exist. |
| Despite
being partially derived from a long-tailed
breed (the Scottish Blackface), Borerays
display characteristics which group
them with other northern European short-tailed
sheep. They are amongst the smallest
sheep in the British Isles, with mature
ewes weighing 28 kg (62 lb) and standing
55 cm (22 in) at the withers. They
have naturally short tails, which do
not require docking. They also moult
their fleece naturally, rather than
having to be shorn annually, though
older individuals do not moult as easily
and may require additional shearing.
Fleeces are grey or creamy white on
the body, though darker individuals
occur. Rough in quality, the wool is
mostly used in the creation of tweeds
or carpet yarns. The face, legs, and
neck are often black. Faces and legs
are wool-free. Both sexes of the Boreray
display horns. |
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