Cheviot
Where did the Cheviot sheep originate?
What are the physical characteristics of Cheviot sheep?
Who was instrumental in establishing the Cheviot breed?
What are the uses of Cheviot sheep?
Cheviot, breed of hardy, medium-wool, white-faced sheep originating in the Cheviot Hills on the border between Scotland and Northumberland, England. Cheviots have no wool on their heads and ears or on their legs below the knees and hocks. As a consequence they present a trimmed and alert appearance. Both sexes are generally hornless, but rams may have horns. The wool of their fleeces is relatively straight, of moderate length, close set, and was once used extensively in the tweed industry. Cheviots are frequently used in crossbreeding, especially with Border Leicesters and Lincolns, for market lambs.
History of the breed
The breed is mentioned in historical records from the 1370s, which refer to the animals as the “long hill sheep” or “longfaces” because of their distinctive physical features compared to other known sheep breeds. Christian monks in the Cheviot Hill region crossed these sheep with imported Merino sheep in the late 15th century to improve the quality of wool. The resulting progeny, however, were weak and prone to foot rot. Some of the later crossbreeding experiments were successful and helped in establishing the breed that is currently called the Cheviot. Notable among them are the efforts of the Belford (Northumberland) breeder James Robson who crossed ewes of long hill stock with Leicester-type rams in the mid-18th century to yield a breed with improved carcass quality. Rams from this cross were used to further improve the breed in the region.
About 1791 Scottish statesman and agrarian reformer Sir John Sinclair introduced 500 of these sheep to Caithness in Scotland to see how they would fare in that environment. The sheep flourished in the hilly terrain of the region, prompting further introductions. Sinclair named the breed Cheviot after their place of origin. Crosses with local sheep populations created bigger, woolier, and early maturing stock that came to be known as the North Country Cheviot or Scottish Cheviot. The breed in its place of origin, Cheviot Hills, is called the South Country Cheviot or Hill Cheviot.
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Outside the United Kingdom the breed was established via exportation to Canada (1825), Australia (1832), the United States (1838), and New Zealand (1845). The breed is reared in North America mostly for meat. It is reared as a minor breed in Australia and New Zealand.
Types
The North Country Cheviots are of two subtypes—the stockier park or Caithness type, which evolved on the fertile grounds of Caithness, and the smaller hill or Lairg type, which evolved on the hills of Sutherland. The South Country Cheviots are found from Sutherland in the north to Dorset and Somerset in the south, as well as in Wales. A cross between the North and South Country Cheviots produced the Border type, whereas the Brecknock Cheviot was developed in Brecknockshire in Wales from the North Country Cheviots introduced to the region in the late 19th century.
Importance
Wool from Cheviot sheep was the original raw material used to produce cheviot fabric. It continues to be used in fabric production, notably Harris tweed. Fleece production per animal varies, but is usually between 1.8–4.5 kg (4–10 pounds). The wool feels spongy to the touch and has a staple length (average length of a lock of fiber) of 10.2–12.7 cm (4–5 inches). The Bradford count of the wool is about 50 to 56, which indicates medium fineness.
The breed yields fine-grained, low-fat, lean meat. Ewes have strong mothering instincts and the breed matures quickly. These sheep can be raised on pasture. They are resistant to worms and foot rot.
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