Swaledale (sheep) - Breed Characteristics

Breed Characteristics

Well suited to the exposed regions in which they predominantly live, the Swaledales are hardy, thick coated, able bodied, and bold. The ewes make excellent mothers and are known for being able to rear lambs well, even in adverse conditions. They are of a medium build, with black faces, sometimes marked with white, and both males and females grow curled horns. Their coats are thick, straight, and coarse, and are considered a uniform white or off-white colour. The wool they produce is durable and resilient, and is used for a number of applications. The marketed fleece and fiber may kemp that is not white. Some of the yarns and prepared fibers on the market today are gray. The sheep are also known for their tender and good-flavoured mutton.Cite error: Invalid tag; references with no content must have a name (see the help page). both of which are also predominant in upland locations in the United Kingdom and noted for their ability to thrive in exposed locations. Although the specific origins of the breed are unknown, a non-indigenous and exotic ancestor for the Swaledale was considered by two noted names of the eighteenth century, John Naismyth and Charles Findlater. Published in 1796, Naismyth's opinion in Young's Annals of Agriculture was that the origin of the black-faced highland breeds was "impossible to trace". Robert Trow-Smith in his book A History of British Livestock Husbandry, 1700–1900 wrote: "... it has already been suggested that this family stood outside the main stream of ancient British sheep..." and that the root of the Swaledale and Scottish Blackface breeds could be the Argali. This tenuous link between domestic sheep and the wild Argali has since been proved to be insupportable due to a significant difference in genetic make-up and number of chromosomes.

Before the Swaledale, Scottish Blackface, and Rough Fell emerged as distinct breeds, their 17th-century forerunner was the Linton. It was named after the West Linton market in Peeblesshire, which specialised in selling the hardy Lintons for Scottish Highland and other upland farming. At the beginning of the 18th century, the market is recorded as having sold upwards of 9,000 sheep in a single day, numbers which surely helped establish the breed firmly in upland areas.

The Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association was founded in 1919 and originally consisted of farmers living within a seven mile radius of the Tan Hill Inn, on the North Yorkshire moors. The association is an active organisation point for Swaledale sales, shows, breeding, and products.