This slowly maturing breed is one of the most hardy of all the British hill sheep breeds. Herdwicks are a dual-purpose breed, producing strongly flavoured lamb and mutton and a coarse, grey wool. Mature rams weigh from 225 to 325 pounds (102 to 147 kg) and ewe weights range from 175 to 275 pounds (79 to 124 kg). The staple length of the fleece ranges from five to ten inches (12.5 to 25cm) with a numeric count of 36 to 48 which is 38.5 to 30.0 microns. The fleece weight from mature females ranges from 8 to 12 pounds with a yield of 65 to 80 percent. Border Leicesters give rapidly-growing, high-quality market lambs as well as a much sought-after specialty wool crop.

This breed in North America have been kept primarily in small purebred flocks, but now progressive commercial breeders in increasing numbers are realizing greater profits with the breed. Using the Bluefaced Leicester ram on most any breed of ewes will result with improvements of both carcass and fleece. The fleece is classified as longwool, with lustrous fine locks opening cleanly to the skin, lighter weight fleeces with little waste and little grease, and a fiber diameter of 56s to 60s count or 28 to 24 microns. The ewes easily produce multiples with a clean, efficient udder held high and accessible. The breed is upheaded, athletically built, flock oriented. They carry no wool on their heads, necks, underbelly, legs, udders and scrotum. The sheep are larger-sized, rams at 250 pounds, ewes at 150 pounds. Natural colored sheep are not recognized in the UK, but are proliferating in North America where the exquisite fleece is also highly prized. Originally from the UK and historically bred to sire “mules” in a tiered meat production scheme.

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