Castlemilk Moorit (sheep)
Encyclopedia
The Castlemilk Moorit is a rare breed of domestic sheep
(also known as Moorit Shetland or Castlemilk Shetland) originating in Dumfriesshire
in Scotland
.
Created as a decorative breed in the 1900s to adorn the parkland
of a lord's estate, it is a mixture of several primitive types: Manx Loaghtan
, Shetland and wild Mouflon
. The breed's name refers to the Castlemilk Estate on which they were bred, and the Lowland Scots
word "moorit" refers to the light tan or reddish brown color of their fleece.
The Castlemilk Moorit is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep
group of breeds, having a short, triangular tail. It has horns in both sexes and a fleece that is usually moulted or rooed (plucked) rather than needing shearing
. All Castlemilk Moorits are descended from a single flock of ten ewes and two rams, and the British Rare Breeds Survival Trust lists the breed as "vulnerable": having a maximum of 900 registered animals. An important offshore population of Castlemilk Moorits in the Netherlands (flockbook VSS) and Belgium (flockbook SLE) helps to guarantee the future of the breed. The main use of this breed is hobby farming.
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...
(also known as Moorit Shetland or Castlemilk Shetland) originating in Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Created as a decorative breed in the 1900s to adorn the parkland
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
of a lord's estate, it is a mixture of several primitive types: Manx Loaghtan
Manx Loaghtan
The Manx Loaghtan is a breed of sheep native to the Isle of Man. It is sometimes spelled as Loaghtyn or Loghtan. It is characterized by a dark brown wool and usually having four or occasionally six horns....
, Shetland and wild Mouflon
Mouflon
The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
. The breed's name refers to the Castlemilk Estate on which they were bred, and the Lowland Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
word "moorit" refers to the light tan or reddish brown color of their fleece.
The Castlemilk Moorit is 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...
group of breeds, having a short, triangular tail. It has horns in both sexes and a fleece that is usually moulted or rooed (plucked) rather than needing shearing
Sheep shearing
Sheep shearing, shearing or clipping is the process by which the woollen fleece of a sheep is cut off. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a shearer. Typically each adult sheep is shorn once each year...
. All Castlemilk Moorits are descended from a single flock of ten ewes and two rams, and the British Rare Breeds Survival Trust lists the breed as "vulnerable": having a maximum of 900 registered animals. An important offshore population of Castlemilk Moorits in the Netherlands (flockbook VSS) and Belgium (flockbook SLE) helps to guarantee the future of the breed. The main use of this breed is hobby farming.