5192 x 3455 px | 44 x 29,3 cm | 17,3 x 11,5 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
20 dicembre 2010
Altre informazioni:
Questa immagine potrebbe avere delle imperfezioni perché è storica o di reportage.
Hebridean Black Sheep in Clare, Suffolk, Britain walk through winter snow landscape. The Hebridean is a small, hardy breed with fine bones and a tail reaching no lower than the hocks. Both sexes are horned, and about 10% of animals have four or more horns. Occasionally polled ewes are to be seen but these are genetically four horned and usually produce horned lambs. The animals are entirely black, though the fleece usually goes grey with age. Lambs may have a dark brown appearance because the tips of the fleece have been bleached by the sun. The wool has a relatively long staple and a stiff, springy quality. It sheds water easily. The face and legs are free of wool. Adult fleece weighs about 1.5kg and has an average Bradford Count of 48-50. Ewes lamb very easily. Although pure bred twin lambs weigh 3.5-4.5kg intervention is rarely required. Lambing percentages depend upon the management system and grazing available: for mature ewes, typically 175% for lowland flocks and 120% for upland. The Hebridean is a very active and long-lived sheep, ewes often still lambing well at ten years or more. It thrives on all types of grazing and responds well to all management systems. Average mature ewe weighs 38-40kg, rams 50-55kg.
