Dalesbred
Encyclopedia
The Dalesbred is a breed
of domestic sheep
originating in the United Kingdom
. Derived from the Swaledale
and Scottish Blackface
breeds, the Dalesbred is a hill breed most common around Upper Wharfedale
and the Central Pennines
in England. Very similar in appearance to its parent breeds, it has horn
s in both rams and ewes and a white carpet-quality fleece.
It can be best distinguished by having a white spot on each side of its black face, with the end of the muzzle becoming grey. This breed is primarily used for meat and wool
production. The legs are free of wool and are mottled black and white. Dalesbred ewes weigh 45 kilogram and rams 55 to 75 kg (121.3 to 165.3 lb).
Dalesbred are a hardy breed capable of surviving the harsh conditions of upland
terrain. They are generally bred for several generations in this environment, then ewes are sold to lowland
farmers for cross breeding to produce mules
. Ewes are often crossed with Teeswater
rams to produce the Masham
which is one of the most famous of British crossbreeds.
Due to the location and small extent of its distribution, this breed was threatened by culling in a Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2001.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of domestic sheep
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
originating in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Derived from the Swaledale
Swaledale (sheep)
Swaledale is a breed of domestic sheep named after the Yorkshire valley of Swaledale. They are found throughout the more mountainous areas of Great Britain, but particularly in County Durham, Yorkshire, and most commonly around the pennine fells of Cumbria....
and Scottish Blackface
Scottish Blackface
The Scottish Blackface is the most common breed of domestic sheep in the United Kingdom. This tough and adaptable breed is often found in the more exposed locations, such as the Scottish Highlands or roaming on the moors of Dartmoor...
breeds, the Dalesbred is a hill breed most common around Upper Wharfedale
Wharfedale
Wharfedale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in England. It is the valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale include Buckden, Kettlewell, Conistone, Grassington, Hebden, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Arthington, Collingham, and Wetherby...
and the Central Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
in England. Very similar in appearance to its parent breeds, it has horn
Horn (anatomy)
A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering of horn surrounding a core of living bone. True horns are found mainly among the ruminant artiodactyls, in the families Antilocapridae and Bovidae...
s in both rams and ewes and a white carpet-quality fleece.
It can be best distinguished by having a white spot on each side of its black face, with the end of the muzzle becoming grey. This breed is primarily used for meat and wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
production. The legs are free of wool and are mottled black and white. Dalesbred ewes weigh 45 kilogram and rams 55 to 75 kg (121.3 to 165.3 lb).
Dalesbred are a hardy breed capable of surviving the harsh conditions of upland
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
terrain. They are generally bred for several generations in this environment, then ewes are sold to lowland
Lowland
In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
farmers for cross breeding to produce mules
Mule (sheep)
In sheep farming, the term Mule is used to refer to a cross between a lowland ram and a purebred upland ewe....
. Ewes are often crossed with Teeswater
Teeswater (sheep)
The Teeswater is a breed of sheep from Teesdale, United Kingdom. It is a longwool breed of sheep, which produces a generally large-diameter fibre. The breed is raised primarily for meat....
rams to produce the Masham
Masham
Masham is a small market town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,235. Situated in Wensleydale on the western bank of the River Ure, the name derives from the Anglo-Saxon "Mæssa's Ham", the homestead belonging to Mæssa. The Romans had...
which is one of the most famous of British crossbreeds.
Due to the location and small extent of its distribution, this breed was threatened by culling in a Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2001.