Gotland (sheep)
Encyclopedia
The Gotland, also called the Gotland Pelt (Swedish
: Pälsfår), is a breed
of domestic sheep
named for the Swedish island of Gotland
. They are one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep
breeds, and are thought to be the product of crossbreeding between the native landrace of the island — called the Gute
— with Karakuls and Romanovs
during the 1920s and 30s.
Primitive horned Gute sheep still exist on the island of Gotland today, though they are now rare. The main differences between the original Gute sheep and the improved Gotlands are that the latter are entirely polled and have more uniform confirmation and fleeces. The improved Gotland sheep may be found in Sweden, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia. Through the use of artificial insemination starting in 2003, Gotland Sheep are being established in the United States of America through two breed associations: the American Gotland Sheep Society and the Gotland Sheep Breeders Association of North America. They are raised primarily as a meat breed.
and have no wool on their black heads and legs. Sometimes there may be white markings on the top of the head or around the nose and mouth. They have alert medium sized ears that stand outwards with a small neat muzzle, an even jaw and even teeth. Their slender neck and shoulders set smoothly into a level back with good depth and reasonable breadth of body. The slender legs are well spaced and upright. The tail is short with a hair covered tip. The fleece is fine, long, lustrous and dense and can be all shades of grey from silver to charcoal grey and dark enough to be almost black. They have a clearly defined even curl (purl) and staple that is soft to the touch. Their disposition is docile and friendly. The fleece is typically 29 to 34 micrometres in diameter. Lambs wool can be in the low to mid 20's micrometre range. The fleece is prized in the US by handspinners and in Europe they are most desired for their pelts.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
: Pälsfår), is a breed
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...
named for the Swedish island of Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
. They are one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep
Northern European short-tailed sheep
Northern European short-tailed sheep are a group of sheep breeds and landraces from the British Isles, Scandinavia, and the area around the Baltic. They are thought to be derived from the first sheep brought to Europe by early farmers...
breeds, and are thought to be the product of crossbreeding between the native landrace of the island — called the Gute
Gute (sheep)
The Gute is a landrace breed of domestic sheep native to the Swedish island of Gotland. The Gute is the most primitive breed native to Sweden, and is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep. The modern Gotland breed is its direct descendant...
— with Karakuls and Romanovs
Romanov (sheep)
Romanov is a breed of domestic sheep originating from the Upper Volga region in Russia. These domestic sheep got the name Romanov from the town of the same name. In the 18th century, these sheep first got noticed. Soon after they were noticed, they were imported into Germany and then into France...
during the 1920s and 30s.
Primitive horned Gute sheep still exist on the island of Gotland today, though they are now rare. The main differences between the original Gute sheep and the improved Gotlands are that the latter are entirely polled and have more uniform confirmation and fleeces. The improved Gotland sheep may be found in Sweden, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia. Through the use of artificial insemination starting in 2003, Gotland Sheep are being established in the United States of America through two breed associations: the American Gotland Sheep Society and the Gotland Sheep Breeders Association of North America. They are raised primarily as a meat breed.
Breed characteristics
Gotland sheep are fine-boned and of medium size. Gotlands are polledPolled livestock
Polled livestock are livestock without horns, of species that normally have them. The term refers both to breeds or strains which are naturally polled through selective breeding and also to naturally horned animals which have been dehorned...
and have no wool on their black heads and legs. Sometimes there may be white markings on the top of the head or around the nose and mouth. They have alert medium sized ears that stand outwards with a small neat muzzle, an even jaw and even teeth. Their slender neck and shoulders set smoothly into a level back with good depth and reasonable breadth of body. The slender legs are well spaced and upright. The tail is short with a hair covered tip. The fleece is fine, long, lustrous and dense and can be all shades of grey from silver to charcoal grey and dark enough to be almost black. They have a clearly defined even curl (purl) and staple that is soft to the touch. Their disposition is docile and friendly. The fleece is typically 29 to 34 micrometres in diameter. Lambs wool can be in the low to mid 20's micrometre range. The fleece is prized in the US by handspinners and in Europe they are most desired for their pelts.