FOUR BREEDS OF NO-SHEAR SHEEP

SOAY SMALL, LIGHT-FOOTED SHEEP OFTEN KEPT FOR CONSERVATION GRAZING. THEIR THICK BROWN AND TAN FLEECES START TO FALL OFF IN MAY BUT CAN TAKE A FEW MONTHS TO COMPLETELY COME AWAY. SOME SOAYS RETAIN PATCHES OF STRAGGLY WOOL, WHICH MIGHT NEED TO BE GENTLY PLUCKED (SOAYANDBORERAYSHEEPSOCIETY.ORG).

WILTSHIRE HORN A PRETTY WHITE SHEEP WITH HORNS AND A SHORT, COARSE COAT RATHER THAN A THICK FLEECE. THIS LARGE-BODIED, MEATY BREED WILL ALSO MAKE GOOD MOTHERS. THEIR FLEECES MOULT AWAY GRADUALLY IN EARLY SUMMER AND GROW BACK IN AUTUMN IN TIME FOR THE WINTER (WILTSHIREHORN.ORG.UK).

EASYCARE™ A MODERN BREED CREATED BY CROSSING WILTSHIRE HORNS WITH ROBUST WELSH MOUNTAIN SHEEP TO PRODUCE A SMALLER, HARDIER ANIMAL WITHOUT HORNS. FAST BECOMING ONE OF THE UK’S MOST POPULAR NEW SHEEP BREEDS, EASYCARE™ WERE ALSO BRED TO HAVE EASY BIRTHS, REQUIRING LITTLE INTERVENTION (EASYCARESHEEP.COM).

DORPER A DRAMATIC-LOOKING WHITE SHEEP, OFTEN WITH A COMPLETELY BLACK HEAD, THE DORPER (RIGHT) WAS CREATED IN SOUTH AFRICA BY CROSSING A DORSET HORN WITH PERSIAN BLACK-HEADED EWES. OFTEN KEPT FOR THEIR MEAT AND MILK, THE BREED IS NEW TO THE UK, BUT RAPIDLY GAINING IN POPULARITY (DORPERSHEEPSOCIETY.CO.UK).