Scottish Blackface Breeders Union The Maternal Breed for Grass Based Lamb Production

Wool Production

Scottish Blackface wool is in a class of its own and has no direct competitors in its own field. The purpose of the fleece is to keep the sheep dry and warm in the extremes of the bitter weather she has to face. One good shake will disperse all the snow off her back and the openness of the fleece allows quick drying.

There are variations in fleece types relative to their regional type .The Southern types have finer wool and are generally classed as short or medium fine with a Bradford count of 40 or so. Northern types have coarse stronger wool and normally yield around 5 to 6lbs of grease wool. The main markets for these wools are mattress and upholstery trades, carpets and heavy cloth trades. These carpets are far superior in every way to carpets made from man-made fibers; they are warmer, better wearing and have a rich deep feel and appearance which artificial fibers cannot achieve.

The finer wools are used for blending into many strong wearing clothes, overcoats, working tweeds and heavy blankets. The finest Scottish Blackface wool is blended with North Country Cheviot wool and goes to the famous Harris Tweed trade.

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Page Modified March 10, 2008