Visit to Blackface sheep breeder

LIFE+ team visited Blackface sheep breeder. The sheep are to be introduced in this grazing season to the xerothermic grassland in Ponidzie region, covered with the project. Lambing took place in the flock right then.

Blackface sheep is highly characteristic. The whole body is covered by thick, white fleece while the head with ears protruding sidewards and legs are black. The females weigh up to 70 kg and males up to 120 kg. The interesting thing is that lams are all black. The blackface sheep mature early, are well adapted to adverse weather conditions and are immune to diseases. Their fleece is homogeneous, rather thick, white with grayish tint. It covers the whole body, is resilient but relatively rough. The annual growth can reach 9 cm.

This is a breed of sheep raised for meat starting in the second half of 19th century. It was brought from England to Germany and then to Poland to improve the meat-related properties in the local flock. It has been known in Poland since 1922.

After World War 2 only several hundred sheep were left in Poland. They are perfectly adapted to our environment. The present population of about 3,000 brood females (about 5% of all sheep) makes this precious sheep breed endangered which is why it was covered with the genetic resources conservation programme.