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By Clare Bradley and Shaunagh Carolan. Wicklow Cheviot. Introduction … . The Wicklow Cheviot is a breed of white faced sheep which gets its name from a range of hills in north Northumberland and its origin from the Wicklow Mts.
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By Clare Bradley and Shaunagh Carolan Wicklow Cheviot
Introduction… The WicklowCheviotis a breed of white faced sheep which gets its name from a range of hills in north Northumberland and its origin from the Wicklow Mts. The Cheviot is a distinctive white-faced sheep, with a wool-free face and legs, pricked ears, black muzzle and black feet. It is a very alert, active sheep, with a stylish, lively carriage. The Cheviot is a dual-purpose breed being raised primarily for meat and wool.
History … Originates from the Wicklow mountains in the C15th. Strongly contributed to the foundation of the woollen industry in Ireland. In the C18th, the Flannel Hall was built by Earl Fitzwilliam to serve as a mart for the sale of produce of Wicklow Mountain wool.
Breeding… Ewes of mountain breeds are mated with rams of the same breed. The female lambs are kept for replacements. The males are sold to the Italian market, because they produce small carcases, or as stores to lowland farms. Conditions are harsh on the mountains so the ewes only last 4-5 years in these conditions so they are sold to the hill farms for better conditions and further years of lambing. These ewes are known as ‘cast’ or ‘culled for age’
Advantages… Hardy sheep able to thrive in cold conditions and on poor feeding Very active, have long legs to walk on rough, stony ground Produce course long wool which is suitable for carpets Excellent mothering ability and lambs have very good survival and sucking instinct With wool-free faces, Cheviots never suffer from wool blindness. Their tendency for worm resistance means less drenching, less crutching and less fly strike. Hard black feet make them less prone to foot rot.
Dis-advantages… Have slower growth rate than lowland hill breeds Lower prolificacy than lowland breeds (1 lamb)
Interesting facts… Mature body weight for the rams is 72-90kg. The ewes weighing slightly less at 55- 72kg. The staple length of the fleece will be 3 to 5 inches Cheviot wool is often blended into other yarns to give resilience and durability to the finished article.
