Oh The Fiber – Cosmopolitan Clun Forest

clun forest flock by vildishknits

Clun forest sheep are a multi-talented breed. Their creamy white fleece, milk and meat make this a universal breed.  The Clun Forest Sheep hail from the town of Clun and the surround forests in Shropshire, England. These sheep are first mentioned in 1803 by Rev. Joseph Plymley who had dealings with these forest sheep. The breed originally had white faces and was polled. He noticed  that the breed was shifting. The crossing of other local breeds  resulting in the darker colouring of the head.

ewe and twins by MDSheep

In 1925 the  the Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society was created to help sustain and preserve the breed. They became extremely popular after WW2 being the 3rd most popular sheep in Britain. Their effortless husbandry, hardiness and low cost of care made them favorite for commercial and pedigreed uses. After flocks being established in Scotland and Ireland the Clun Forest came to the U.S. in the 1970’s. By 1974 the North American Clun Forest Association was established.  Although the breed is declining in  Britain, it’s numbers are gaining in North America and The Netherlands.

Great picture courtesy of rcadd on flickr

Clun Forest are a medium size sheep with black faces and legs. There is no wool on the face, they do have a topknot on the head. They are polled. I noticed the ears sit right on top of the head. This gives them a vigilant, attentive look. They are revered for the high fat content in their milk and lambs can reach 100 pds in 7-8 months on grass-fed diet alone.

Lambs by Benny’s Grrrl

All information from Wikipedia, The North American Clun Forest Association, and The Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society .

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