Breeds of Wool Sheep That Shed

[TheSheepGirl]

Are their breeds of wool sheep that shed their wool?

I'm not certain of all of the breeds crossed into my two ewes, but this spring they began to shed their wool. At first I was alarmed, but I then saw the new wool coming in underneath. It is definitely wool underneath and not hair.

They itched and rubbed much the same way hair sheep do when shedding. There was no visible problem with their skin, I sprayed them for lice for good measure. All that I could see was a yellow, thick, waxy coating on the bottom of the wool when I pulled some off, but none of it was on the new wool underneath. It came off in a big patch to begin with and they looked just like my friend's Barbados sheep during shedding.

They seem to just be shedding and when I asked around no one had heard of any skin problems that cause this. I figured that if it were truly a skin problem, then there wouldn't be any new wool underneath and they would have bald patches or irritated skin.

Is this true, or do you guys know of a skin problem with these symptoms?

Just thought I'd see if you guys knew.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Nope, there are no breeds of wool sheep that shed (or if there is they're extremely rare and I've not heard of them ). But hair sheep shed out and still have hair/wool under what sheds out.

 

[boykin2010]

I have shedding wool sheep but i dont know what breed. I bought them from a guy who bought them from someone else. They shed just like hair sheep just in clumps.

 

[Beekissed]

My Katahdin ewe had lovely wool...and when she shed in the spring, it had that yellow coating of lanolin like you describe. Almost made her wool shed feel creamy and pull off like taffy.

Some breeds of hair sheep have better quality wool than others and less hair fibers. Katahdins are one of these. St. Croix sheep have more hair than wool and Dorpers have more wool than SC but it doesn't seem to have that fine, soft texture like a Kat, nor the increased lanolin.

My Kat/SC cross sheep's hair/wool shed off in clumps and didn't have much lanolin, if any at all. My pure Kat ewe's wool shed off in sheets, like you describe, with the new wool already grown in underneath and the yellow, creamy lanolin layer came off with the sheets of wool. I think their wool resembles a Southdown's in texture.

They are such neat animals! So interesting!

 

[patandchickens]

I would think the simplest explanation would be that they have some hair sheep blood in them.

Pat

 

[aggieterpkatie]

There are breeds like Katahdins that have "wooly hair", so in the winter they look like they've got regular wool, but they aren't considered wool sheep. Their wool isn't good enough quality to be marketed for most things because it has so much hair in it. They're not "wool" sheep, they're "hair" sheep.

 

[TheSheepGirl]

They do have nice fleeces that are soft and crimpy. I make a lot of soft felt and carded wool products. The stuff underneath is definitely wool and not hair in any way. It just has that wooly feel and is all lanoliny.

I have heard that when crossed with a hair sheep the offspring of the wool sheep will shed. I suppose that would be the explanation.

That's why I ended up shearing them instead of leaving the wool for the fair like i had planned. I have to admit i was quite surprised when I started pulling off clumps of wool from my sheep. They were shorn in august when I purchased them from the breeder.

According to the breeder they are Lincoln/Wenslydale/Finn crosses, but they look nothing like either breed accept perhaps finn.

These are my girls, though not the best picture. The white one is Marybell and the Black is Ninja. I'm thinking Marybell is a Border Leicester cross and Ninja is a Gotland cross based on their wool and body types and the breeds their breeder raised. And now I may have to add Katahdin into the mix as well.

 

[SheepGirl]

Romanovs and Wiltshire Horns are classified as "shedding wool sheep" by the American Sheep Industry Association (www.sheepusa.org).