Gotlands

Check out our gotlands gallery link above under Sheep Galleries to see more beautiful pictures of our Gotland stock.

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The Gotland Color

Gray fleece, solid color with shading allowed, no distinct patterns or spotting. Fleece color ranges from light silver to dark charcoal. Head and legs are generally solid black. Lamb birth coat is black, becoming gray within several months. Small white markings on head, legs and tail are accepted but discouraged.

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The Gotland Wool Difference

Fleece is fine, long, lustrous and dense with clearly defined curl and staple, soft to the touch. It is typically 29 to 34 microns in diameter at 18 months of age, as measured midside at the last rib. Lambs wool is typically in the low to mid 20′s micron range.

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Gotta Have Gotlands!

Solid colored head generally free from wool. Bold eyes, alert medium sized ears set slightly above horizontal. Small, neat and straight muzzle with even jaw and teeth set squarely on the pad. Both males and females are generally and preferably polled.

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The Shetland Breed

Shetlands are one of the smallest of the British sheep. Rams usually weigh 90 to 125 pounds and ewes about 75 to 100 pounds. Rams usually have beautiful spiral horns, whereas the ewes are typically polled. They are fine-boned and agile and their naturally short, fluke-shaped tails do not require docking.

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The Shetland Colors

Shetland sheep can show almost all possible sheep colours and patterns, although solid white and solid moorit (reddish brown) are most common. Over thirty different coat patterns are recognised, many of which can occur in combination.

Shetland Sheep

No Pullin’ The Wool Over These Eyes

Shetland wool is some of the finest among the UK breeds. It is soft, yet strong and durable, and is a delight to spin. Traditionally, the finest of the Shetland yarns, spun from selected neck wool, were knit into lace shawls so fine they could be drawn through a wedding ring!

Shetland Wool

The Benefits of Shetland Fleece

A spinner’s dream, dramatically colored and patterned Shetland ram lambs on green pastures. These lambs may have their colors fade with age… or they may retain their dramatic coloring. Shetlands are one of the few breeds that can produce a true black fleece. This black is so dramatic it requires no overdying.

Shetlands Sheep