| Brucklay
Pygmy Goats - Castlemilk Moorit Sheep |
We
have a little registered flock of 9,
and hope that our 2 gimmers will produce
a few nice lambs in late spring.
The
Castlemilk Moorit is a rare breed of
domestic sheep
originating in Dumfriesshire in Scotland.
Created as a decorative breed in the
1900s to adorn the parkland of a lord's
estate, it is a mixture of several
primitive types: Manx Loaghtan, Shetland
and wild Mouflon. The breed's name
refers to the Castlemilk Estate on
which they were bred, and the Lowland
Scots word "moorit" refers
to the light tan or reddish brown color
of their fleece.
The Castlemilk Moorit is one of the
Northern European short-tailed sheep
group of breeds, having a short, triangular
tail. It has horns in both sexes and
a fleece that is usually moulted or
rooed (plucked) rather than needing
shearing. All Castlemilk Moorits
are descended from a single flock of
ten ewes and two rams, and the British
Rare Breeds Survival Trust lists the
breed as "vulnerable": having
a maximum of 900 registered animals. |
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