Herdwick Sheep: Characteristics, Origins, Uses, and Breed Information

The Herdwick sheep is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the United Kingdom. He hails from the Lake District of Cumbria in the North West of England.

Breed name’Herdwick‘derived from Old Norse Herdvyckwhich means sheep grazing. And these animals have traditionally been bred in the hills and pastures of the Lake District in Cumbria and are unique to the region.

The exact origin of these animals is poorly documented. But sheep are thought to have been introduced to the area during the Viking invasions from the west of England.

At the end of the 12th century, Herdwick sheep were a very important breed in the Lake District. Learn more about this breed of sheep below.

Characteristics of the Herdwick Sheep

Herdwick sheep are relatively smaller animals than some other popular sheep breeds.

Lambs are born with black blue-roan faces, legs and coats that lighten as adults. Their fleece becomes lighter after the first haircut.

Herdwick rams are horned and ewes are naturally polled. Photos and information from Wikipedia.

Advantages

Herdwick sheep were dual-purpose animals, valued for their meat and wool. But today the breed is grown primarily for meat purposes.

Special Notes

Herdwick sheep are hardy animals but grow very slowly. They have a homing instinct that allows them to return to their native pastures as they move.

They are also partly responsible for the gloominess of some of the hills in the Lake District because, like most sheep, Herdwick sheep graze very closely on grass, inhabiting the canopy.

They can withstand the cold and incessant rains of the Lake District at over 1000 meters altitude.

Most of these animals winter on the hills. And they are generally left to graze on the hillsides. The meat of these animals is lean and has a slight aftertaste of game. However, check out the full breed profile of these sheep in the following table.

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Breed nameHerdwick
another nameeverything
Purpose of the breedMainly meat, also wool
Special NotesHardy and strong animals, well adapted to the local climate, slow-growing animals, have a homing instinct, thanks to which they return to their native pastures when moving, can withstand the cold and incessant rain of their native region, meat good quality with a slight taste of game
Breed sizeLittle
hornsRams have horns and sheep are polled
climatic tolerancenative climate
ColorTo change
scarcitygeneral
Country/place of originUK
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