Cheviot sheep
Encyclopedia
The Cheviot is a breed of white faced sheep
which gets its name from a range of hills in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders
. It is still common in this area of the United Kingdom
, but also in north west Scotland
, Wales
and the south west of England
(especially Dartmoor
and Exmoor
) as well as more rarely in Australia
, New Zealand
and the United States
. The Cheviot is a dual-purpose breed being raised primarily for meat and wool
.
as early as the 14th century, although it would not necessarily have borne much resemblance to the breed we see today. It has been steadily improved over the centuries and crossed with other breeds.
In the 19th century, the Cheviot became increasingly common, as its wool
was said to be ideal for use in durable tweed
cloth. Today, the Cheviot is a dual-use breed used for meat and for wool. They are hardy mountain breeds and are very alert with good carriage. The Cheviot breed has many organizations that it is related to. Montadales are a mixture of Cheviot and Columbias. Cheviots are the base breed for many breeds that you see today.
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...
which gets its name from a range of hills in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
. It is still common in this area of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, but also in north west 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...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and the south west of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(especially Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
and Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
) as well as more rarely in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Cheviot is a dual-purpose breed being raised primarily for meat and wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
.
History
Early records indicate that the Cheviot was roaming in the border country between Scotland and England and in the Cheviot HillsCheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
as early as the 14th century, although it would not necessarily have borne much resemblance to the breed we see today. It has been steadily improved over the centuries and crossed with other breeds.
In the 19th century, the Cheviot became increasingly common, as its wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
was said to be ideal for use in durable tweed
Twill
Twill is a type of textile weave with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs . This is done by passing the weft thread over one or more warp threads and then under two or more warp threads and so on, with a "step" or offset between rows to create the characteristic diagonal pattern. Because of this...
cloth. Today, the Cheviot is a dual-use breed used for meat and for wool. They are hardy mountain breeds and are very alert with good carriage. The Cheviot breed has many organizations that it is related to. Montadales are a mixture of Cheviot and Columbias. Cheviots are the base breed for many breeds that you see today.