The Wiltshire Horn Sheep is a breed of domestic sheep from the United Kingdom. It actually originates from Wiltshire in southern England and is raised primarily for its meat.
It is rare among local breeds of sheep as it has the distinction of having a short coat and the wool sheds naturally in the spring, reducing the need for shearing.
These animals do not need shearing or crutches and do not suffer from raids. They grow very fast, even purebred lambs can reach slaughter weight in just 16 weeks.
All of these characteristics make them increasingly attractive for commercial sheep farming.
The Wiltshire Horn sheep breed was one of the predominant breeds of sheep in southern England until the 18th century. For hundreds of years he served the people of his native region, providing manure and urine to fertilize the land where wheat was grown.
These animals require less care and little cover and are an easily manageable source of quality meat. But throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, rising wool prices and the abandonment of horned sheep led to a steep decline in the breed.
The Wiltshire Horn sheep breed almost disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century. The Breed Society of the Wiltshire Horn was formed in 1923 with the aim of saving the breed.
In the early 45s there were 1980 registered herds in the UK and by 300 the number had increased almost until 2009. However, read more about this breed below.
Characteristics of the Wiltshire Horn Sheep
The Wiltshire Horn Sheep is a medium to large breed with a good appearance. The ram and the sheep have horns, but the ram’s horns grow in a full spiral every year until they mature.
Both are white with occasional black spots on the undercoat.
The Wiltshire Horn is a breed of hairy sheep that has a thick, coarse coat in the winter and a shed coat in the summer.
The average live weight of a mature Wiltshire Horn ram is around 110 kg and that of ewes around 68 kg. Photos and information from Wikipedia.
Advantages
It is a breed of mutton. It is grown mainly for meat production.
Special Notes
Wiltshire horned sheep are a hardy and strong breed of domestic sheep. Sheep are excellent mothers and have high fertility.
Animals grow relatively faster and purebred lambs can reach slaughter weight in as little as 16 weeks.
Wiltshire Horn sheep are one of the main breeds of Katahdin, EasyCare and Wiltipoll sheep.
It is no longer a rare breed that is popular in both small scale and commercial production. However, check out the full profile of this breed in the following table.
| Breed name | Wiltshire Horn |
| another name | everything |
| Purpose of the breed | Meat |
| Special Notes | Very hardy and strong, ewes are excellent mothers and have high fertility, grow faster, and rams and ewes have horns, are popular in small-scale and commercial production. |
| Breed size | big |
| The weight | From 68 to 110 kg |
| horns | Yes |
| climatic tolerance | native climate |
| Color | White with occasional black spots on undercoat |
| scarcity | general |
| Country/place of origin | UK |
