Whitefaced Woodland

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Whitefaced Woodland

Origin and basics
The Whitefaced Woodland comes from England, developed in the Pennine hills around Woodland Valley. It is a cross of Woodland and Penistone sheep (named after the Yorkshire town where sales have been held since 1699). It is closely related to the Swaledale and the Lonk. There are substantial flocks in its home region, and the breed is listed as a priority by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Description
This is one of the largest British hill breeds. It is strong and robust with good conformation. Both males and females have horns, and the males have large spiraling horns. The tail is distinctive and muscular; rams typically have long tails, while ewes’ tails are docked to a length between the legal minimum and the hock.

Fleece and color
The fleece is white and finer than many other hill breeds. Staple length is 15–20 cm, Bradford Count 44–50; the britch wool is coarser. The head is strong with a white face; the muzzle skin can be pink. Ewes may have small speckles; black spots and rings around the eyes are discouraged. Eyes should be golden, and an extremely Roman nose should be avoided.

Horns and body shape
Horns should emerge flat from the back and not look goat-like. Very wide horns are discouraged, and horns may be slabb ed to prevent touching the face. The body should be heavy and deep with a broad straight back. Shoulders should be sturdy; low pasterns are discouraged. The fleece is white with no colored wool; no dark coloration is allowed on males.

Care and use
Tufts on the head and coarse chest hairs are discouraged. The fleece should be tight and not part along the back, though fineness can vary by location and breeder preference.