Wensleydale

The Wensleydale is a large longwool sheep with a distinctive deep blue head, ears and legs. The breed originated in North Yorkshire, England during the 19th century and was developed primarily to provide rams for crossing onto the hill ewe. The breed's greatest attribute is the quality and quantity of curly wool each sheep produces.

Wool from the Wensleydale is acknowledged as the finest lustre long wool in the world. The fleece from a purebred sheep is considered kemp free. The breed is widespread throughout the United Kingdom, with some small flocks in Holland, France, and Denmark. A "breeding up" program is developing in the USA, using Wensleydale ram sperm in English Leicester, Lincoln, and Cotswold ewes and their female progeny.

Breed categories: long wool, dual-purpose / Distribution: United Kingdom, Europe, North America