:Kerry Hill sheep

File:Kerry Hill ewe and lamb.jpg

The Kerry Hill ({{langx|cy|Dafad Bryniau Ceri}}) is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the county of Powys in Wales. It derives its name from the village of Kerry (Ceri), near Newtown.

{{cite web

|url=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/kerryhill/

|work=Breeds of Livestock

|title=Kerry Hill

|publisher=Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Animal Science

|access-date=2015-08-12}} Kerry Hill sheep have a distinctive and unique coloration, with a white face bearing black markings around the mouth, ears, and eyes.

{{cite web

|url=http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=82

|title=Kerry Hill

|date=16 March 2007

|publisher=National Sheep Association (U.K.)

|access-date=2009-04-17}} Both rams and ewes are polled. Their wool is white, and their legs are white with black markings. First mentions of the breed date back to the early 19th century, and today it is distributed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Though still not very numerous, the breed was removed from the records of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust watchlist in 2006.

{{cite web

|url=http://www.stackyard.com/news/2006/01/RBST/01_watchlist.html

|title=Rare Breeds 'Watchlist': Good News And Bad

|access-date=2009-04-17

|date=2006-01-09

|publisher=Rare Breeds Survival Trust}} This breed is primarily raised for meat.

{{cite web

|url=http://dad.fao.org/

|title=Kerry Hill/United Kingdom

|work=Breed Data Sheet

|publisher=Domestic Animal Diversity Information System

|access-date=2009-09-01}}

The Kerry Hill Flock Book Society keeps a register of pure bred animals and provides information on the breed, shows and sales.{{cite web |url=http://www.kerryhillsheep.net/ |title=Kerry Hill Flock Book Society |access-date=2015-08-12 |archive-date=2018-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425210820/http://www.kerryhillsheep.net/ |url-status=dead }}

Characteristics

The Kerry Hill is a medium-sized breed of sturdy build, an average ewe weighing about {{convert|55|to|65|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and a ram a little more.. The face is white with black markings on the nose and around the eyes, with black, wool-less ears set high on the head. The legs are white with black markings. The fleece is fine and white, with a Bradford count of 54 to 56 and a staple length of {{convert|10|cm|in|0|abbr=on}}. An average fleece weighs about {{convert|2.75|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}}.

The lambing percentage is often 175% and a terminal sire can be used for a larger carcase. The ewes milk well and the lambs grow fast. They can produce a {{convert|16|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} carcase at twelve to fourteen weeks, or if overwintered, a {{convert|20|to|25|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} carcase the following spring.

References

Literature

Williams-Davies J (1981/1987), Welsh Sheep and their Wool. Gomer, Llandysul pp.39-42.

External links

[http://www.kerryhillvereniging.nl/ Dutch Kerry Hill association] (Dutch)
[http://www.kerryhill.dk/ Danish Kerry Hill association] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220180839/http://www.kerryhill.dk/ |date=2020-02-20 }} (Danish)

Category:Sheep breeds originating in Wales

Category:Sheep breeds