Sheep Breeds J-L

  

** Jacob **

The Jacob is a unique breed. Their most striking features are their four horns, two vertical center horns and two side horns curling along side of the head, and their spotted black and white fleece which is prized by hand spinners and weavers. The Jacob is an old, unimproved breed whose origins are obscure to say the least. Some say they are the result of the earliest recorded selective breeding as referenced in the Bible. Others claim they descend from Moorish sheep brought from Spain or Africa or from Norse sheep from Scandinavia and the northern Scottish islands. Jacobs came to Britain via the Iberian Peninsula and have been raised there for over 350 years. Until recent times, Jacobs were kept at only a few large estates in England and thought to be in danger of extinction, but they are making a comeback. The Jacob is classified as a "rare" breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Breed category: medium wool, rare

Distribution: United Kingdom, Europe, North America

Jacob Sheep Breeders Association
American Jacob Sheep Registry
Jacob Sheep Conservancy
Jacob Sheep Society of the UK

  

** Jezersko-Solcava **

Jezerskosolflorinavska sheep resulted from the crossbreeding of native white sheep with the Bergamasca sheep and with the Padova sheep. It resembles the Austrian Bergschaf that has a similar origin. The breed got its name after the breeding centers of Jezersko and Solflorinava. Its head has a convex profile and hanging ears. Its legs are long and strong. This breed is very convenient for lamb production in the Alpine and Pre-Alpine region. Since 1980, Jezersko-Solflorinavska sheep has been crossed by Romanovska sheep, hence number of pure breed animals has been decreased quickly. Therefore, a special program on preservation the pure breed has been started in 1991. An ewe has 1.42 lambs per lambing. Ewes are non-seasonal breeders and pregnancy usually occurs during the lactation period.

Breed categories: meat

Distribution: Europe

Jezersko Sheep Society

  

** Kamieniec **

The Kamieniec sheep was created in the years 1954-1965 in the Kamieniec farm of the Breeding Center in Susz, near Olsztyn. The starting point was a flock of primitive ewes of the Pomeranian type, from individual farms in the regions of Gdansk and Koszalin or brought from settlers from the East. They were initially crossed with Leine and Texel rams, and then mated to Romney Marsh rams. After selection, the progeny was interbred in order to obtain genetic consolidation of the required traits and a more uniform type. Sheep of this strain have rather large, deep, and broad bodies. Their wool covering much of the body is uniform in quality, with long staples and hgh clean yield. This variety is also highly resistant to diseases, especially foot rot.

Breed categories: dual-purpose, medium wool

Distribution: Eastern Europe

Kamieniec Ram in Poland

Image Source: Sheep Breeds in Poland

  
  

** Katahdin **

The Katahdin is an improved breed of hair sheep, the first hair breed to meet North American industry standards for carcass quality. The Katahdin is a cross between British meat breeds, notably the Suffolk, African Hair sheep, specifically the St. Croix, and later the Wiltshire Horn. They were developed in the 1950's by amateur geneticist Michael Piel and take their name from Mt. Katahdin in Maine where the Piel farm was located. The Katahdin is an easy-care, low-maintenance meat-type sheep that is naturally tolerent of climateic extremes and capable of high performance in a variety of environments. One of the most outstanding characteristics of the Katahdin is its natural resistance to internal parasites. The Katahdin is one of the most popular breeds of registered sheep in the U.S.

Breed categories: hair (meat)

Distribution: North America, Caribbean, Asia

Katahdin Hair Sheep International
Pacific Coast Katahdin Hair Sheep Association
South Central Katahdin Hair Sheep Association
Canadian Katahdin Sheep Association
Saskatchewan Katahdin Sheep

** Lacaune **

The Lacaune is the most numerous sheep breed in France. It has been selected in France for increased milk production under a sophisticated selection program incorporating artificial insemination, milk recording, and progeny testing of sires for longer than any other dairy sheep breed in the world. Annual genetic improvement for milk yield in the French Lacaune is estimated at 2.4% or 5.7 kg (12.5 lbs). Lacaune ewes produce milk with higher total solids than the East Friesians, but in slightly less volume.The sheep of the Lacaune breed produce the milk which is responsible for the famous Roquefort cheese.

Breed categories: dairy

Distribution: Europe, North America, South America

** Landschaf **
(Bentheimer Landschaf)

This member of the heath-sheep landrace is a cross between German and Dutch heath sheep and a marsh sheep. Since 1934, it has been bred in the northern German Emsland area, especially in the county of Bentheim. The highly endangered, frugal Bentheimer Landschaf is used for landscape preservation. It is the largest of the German heath and moor sheep with long legs and hard hoofs. A slender, long head, Roman nose, small ears, no horns, long and woolly tail, describe the sheep. The sheep is white, but dark pigmentation is permitted around the eyes, on the ears and on its legs. Fleece weight is 3-4 kg (6.6-8.8 lbs), with a fiber diameter of 34-40 microns.

Breed categories: landrace, rare

Distribution: Europe

  

** Leicester Longwool **
(English Leicester, Leicester)

The Leicester Longwool was important to the development of other long wool breeds and has made a large contribution to the sheep industries in Australia and New Zealand. The breed originated in the Leicester region of England and although it is a very old breed, Robert Bakewell, a pioneer in the field of animal genetics, is given credit for improving it during the 18th century. Leicesters are a big sheep with a heavy fleece of curly, lustrous wool that is even in length and fiber diameter. The breed was first imported into the United States during the time of the American Revolution, and it is believed that George Washington used Leicester sheep to improve his flock at Mt. Vernon. The Leicester Longwool is classified as a "rare" breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Breed categories: long wool

Distribution: Worldwide

Leicester Longwool Sheep Breeders Association
English Leicester Association of Australia Inc.
New Zealand Rare Breeds

 
** Leine**
(Leineschaf)

The Leine breed comes from the region of Nordheim (Hannover), in particular from the Leine river valley (hence the name). It was created through crossbreeding of local breeds with Friesian, Merino, and Berrichon du Cher rams as well as rams of the English Leicester, and Cotswold breeds. In effect, a white hornless sheep of the dual purpose type was obtained. Medium-early maturing with uniform medium coarse wool, it is a hardy and healthy breed, well adapted to difficult conditions and to walking over long distances. In Germany, the breed is nearly extinct.

Breed categories: dual purpose, coarse wool

Distribution: Europe

  

** Limousine**

Limousine sheep orginated in the region of France which gave them their name. The Limousine sheep breed has great hardiness and excellent adaptability in very varied regions, notably on non-chalky, acid soils. It is a breed notable for its female qualities: early sexual maturity, a sure aptitude for off-season breeding, maternal instinct, and milk value.

Breed categories: medium wool, meat

Distribution: Europe, United Kingdom

  

** Lincoln **

The Lincoln is one of the world's largest breeds of sheep. Its fleece is the heaviest, longest-stapled and most lustrous of any breed in the world. Lincolns originated in a fertile area on the East Coast of England, bordering the North Sea and the county of Lincolnshire. They were first brought to the United States in 1825, where they contributed to the development of several commercially-important American breeds including the Columbia and Targhee.

Breed categories: long wool, rare

Distribution: Worldwide

National Lincoln Sheep Breeders Association
Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders Association
New Zealand Rare Breeds

  

** Lleyn**
(pronounced kleen)

Lleyn sheep originate from the Lleyn peninsula in Wales and until recently were a relatively unfamiliar breed of sheep in the UK. Over the past 10 years the Lleyn breed has caught the eye of many farmers, and now Lleyn sheep can be found almost all over the Country.The Lleyn ewe is renowned for her tremendous mothering ability, ease of lambing, longevity, and prolificacy. Lleyn rams are an ideal way to inject maternal traits, fertility, and hybrid vigour back into breeding ewes. They are also becoming popular for crossing onto hill and lowland ewes to produce a quality prime lamb or to produce a Lleyn cross female replacement that carries the qualities of the Lleyn ewe.

Breed categories: dual-purpose, long wool

Distribution: United Kingdom

Lleyn Sheep Society

  

** Lonk**

The Lonk has been bred on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Pennines from time immemoria. It is an aristocrat by virtue of origins as ancient as the hills on which it roams. It is one of the largest native hill breeds in England. The face is pure black and white, and the legs are speckled black and white. Both sexes are horned. Lonk ewes are prolific and good mothers. They are often crossed with Down and Continental tups (rams) to produce a long lean lamb suitable for the modern consumer. Lonk tups are often put to ewes of other hill breeds such as Swaledale, Dalesbred, Scottish Blackface, and Welsh ewes to produce bigger lamb carcasses and improve wool quality.

Breed categories: carpet wool, hill

Distribution: United Kingdom

Photo courtesy of EAAP-Animal Genetic Bank