A blue-faced, long wool breed producing a fleece with a very long staple (up to 12 inches) and weighing up to 5 kg. A slow maturing breed, ewes weigh about 113 kg and rams may exceed 135 kg. Both sexes are polled. Carefully and selectively bred for fine, curly fleece. Often blended with fine but shorter-stapled wools where a strong wool is required. Crossed with certain other breeds such as Suffolk, it produces offspring capable of growing fleeces with weights up to 11 kg of good quality wool. Wensleydale are mostly kept for rams for crossing purposes.

 

This breed is found primarily on the Yorkshire Dales, North Lancashire, Westmorland, Cumberland and Scotland.

 

 

References

British Wool Marketing Board, Oak Mills, Station Rd., Clayton, Bradford BD14 6JD UK Phone: Bfd. 882091

 

National Sheep Association, Sheep Centre, Malvern, Worcs, WR13 6PH, UK