Herdwick

Last updated

A Herdwick ewe Herdwick ewe1.jpg
A Herdwick ewe

The Herdwick is a breed of domestic sheep native to the Lake District in North West England. The name "Herdwick" is derived from the Old Norse herdvyck, meaning sheep pasture. [1] Though low in lambing capacity and perceived wool quality when compared to more common commercial breeds, Herdwicks are prized for their robust health, their ability to live solely on forage, and their tendency to be territorial and not to stray over the difficult upland terrain of the Lake District. It is considered that up to 99% of all Herdwick sheep are commercially farmed in the central and western Lake District. [2]

Contents

The wool of a Herdwick has unique qualities relating to durability. Thick bristle type fibres will often protrude from garments made from the wool, forming a protective layer in blizzards—most likely the same qualities that protect the sheep in similar conditions. Herdwicks have been known to survive under a blanket of snow for three days while eating their own wool. [3]

Severely threatened by the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in England and Wales, the breed has survived due to the intent to preserve this unique animal as a crucial part of traditional Lakeland agriculture. Still far fewer in number than most commercial breeds, Herdwicks survive largely due to farming subsidies.

History

Early history

Herdwick tups (rams) are often kept together in bachelor flocks when not let out to cover the ewes. HerdwickTups.jpg
Herdwick tups (rams) are often kept together in bachelor flocks when not let out to cover the ewes.

The root word of the breed's name, herdvyck, "sheep pasture", is recorded in documents dating back to the 12th century. [4] The origin of the breed itself is unknown, but the most common theory is that the ancestors of Herdwick sheep were introduced by early Norse settlers. [1] According to this, it was brought to the region somewhere between the 10th and 11th centuries during the Viking invasions of western England. [1] Although a piece of local folklore once suggested that it came from a wrecked Spanish Armada ship, [5] it appears that the Herdwick was an important breed in the Lake District by the end of the 12th century. [6]

For centuries, the husbandry of Herdwick sheep has been a large factor in shaping the culture and terrain of the Lake District. Topographically, grazing by sheep continues to keep the hillsides of fells largely treeless, and the ubiquitous dry stone walls of the valleys were built to protect grazing land and to confine livestock. Linguistically, many words of Lakeland speech relate to sheep husbandry. The ancient Yan Tan Tethera counting system for sheep is a survival of Brittonic counting systems. [7]

Beatrix Potter

In the later years of her life (over 50), the children's author Beatrix Potter was involved with keeping and breeding Herdwicks, even acting as president of the breed association for a time. Between 1930 and 1938 she won a number of prizes for Herdwick ewes at shows across Cumbria. [8] Upon her death in 1943, she bequeathed fifteen farms—a total of approximately 4,000 acres (16 km2) to the National Trust and, as per her instruction, all continue to graze Herdwick flocks. [1]

Modern history

Herdwick lambs are born mostly black and lighten with age. A Herdwick lamb.jpg
Herdwick lambs are born mostly black and lighten with age.

In the modern era, the main industry of the Lake District has shifted from agriculture to tourism. The subsequent influx of tourists to the District has at times conflicted with traditional life, including the raising of Herdwicks. One Lake District farmer summed the problem up as, "We get 100,000 visitors across our land every year... If just one in a thousand forgets to shut a gate or can't be bothered, that's a hundred times we have to go out and round up our sheep." [1]

In the late 20th century, the keeping of Herdwicks became economically unviable without outside support; open market prices for Herdwick fleeces sometimes drop as low as a penny a kilogram (which is about the weight of wool from a single sheep). [1] Without direct monetary guarantees for wool prices from the National Trust, it actually costs farmers a considerably larger amount of money to shear their Herdwicks than they would receive in compensation; the majority of farmers once burned their fleeces as waste products. [9] The Trust now acts as a wool merchant itself, thus being able to bargain for better prices directly with the British Wool Marketing Board and operate a Herdwick wool trademark. [9] Most farmers survive through the sale of lambs, as well as both National Trust and European Union farm subsidies. Lake District farmers in particular receive subsidies for operating in a designated Less Favoured Area from the England Rural Development Programme. Those who agree to maintain their land in accordance with sustainable farming practices also receive additional subsidies. [1]

Herdwicks grazing in Cumbria Pair of Herdwicks grazing.jpg
Herdwicks grazing in Cumbria

Ninety-five percent of all 50,000 or so Herdwicks live within 14 miles of Coniston, Cumbria, [10] and this makes them particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of disease. The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 led to the destruction of many flocks, and to fears for the survival both of the breed and of the typical Lakeland sheep farming industry. [11] Of the estimated 100,000 Herdwick sheep present before the outbreak, a full 25% were lost. They were not easily replaceable because long-standing herds are hefted so the introduction of new stock to the fells would have required extensive fencing. The call for vaccination rather than culling to preserve what is considered a part of the traditional identity of the fells and moors was led by parties such as the Duke of Westminster, Earl Peel, Lord Barnard and Lord Lonsdale, who wished to save the hill sheep on their lands. [12] Many Lake District residents saw the breed as an indispensable icon of the region. Longtime resident and writer for The Guardian A. Harry Griffin expressed this feeling:

There are other mountain sheep on the Lakeland fells, notably Swaledales and Rough-Fells, but the hardy Herdwick is the sheep most likely to be seen in and around the Duddon valley, the Coniston fells, the Buttermere fells and, through Borrowdale or Wasdale, up to the highest land in England, the Scafells. More than the old drystone walls that quarter the fells, the packhorse bridges or the whitewashed farmsteads, the little grey Herdwick sheep typify the Lakeland. If they and their shepherds go, that is the end of the Lakeland where I have climbed, walked, skied and skated for nearly 80 years; of the Lakeland I have written about nearly all my life. [13]

The destruction of entire flocks meant that the shepherds were forced to undergo the process of again heafing (the local term for hefting) their new sheep to the hills. Normally, ewes teach this behaviour to their lambs, but with no more ewes left acquainted with a particular heaf the behaviour had to be taught all over again to new ewes, inevitably involving much rounding up of flocks that had strayed over the often inaccessible fells. Unheafed sheep might also cause overgrazing by wandering if they replaced the original Herdwicks. [1] [14] The Cumbria Hill Sheep Initiative was set up to "reassess the position and circumstances" in the aftermath of the disease; tough government restrictions in order to prevent another outbreak are still in place. [15] [16]

In 2008, an Oregon sheep farmer began importing semen from Herdwick rams into the United States to begin a breeding programme using artificial insemination and designed to bring the breed to the country for the first time. [17] In 2013, Lakeland Herdwick meat received a Protected Designation of Origin from the European Union. [18]

Characteristics

Herdwicks are a dual-purpose breed, producing strongly flavoured lamb and mutton and a coarse, grey wool. The slowly maturing breed is one of the most hardy of all the British hill sheep breeds, withstanding the cold and relentless rain of the Lake District at heights upwards of 3,000 feet (about 1,000 metres). [2] Most Herdwicks spend winter on the fells, from approximately December to April. They are normally left to graze freely on the hillsides (without any additional feed), but each ewe tends to stay in her heaf (the local term for heft), the same small area of fell. Due to the rough conditions on fells, lambing losses can be as high as 25%. [19] This ability to thrive unassisted is part of the reason fell farmers so highly value Herdwicks over much higher-producing lowland breeds. [7]

A Herdwick's grey fleece is not easily dyed and is coarse, so it is best suited to use as carpet wool. The wool is also an excellent natural insulator; it is possible to buy sheets of fireproofed wool to fit as loft insulation. [20] Herdwick lamb and mutton has a very distinct taste, and was eaten at Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation banquet. [19] Herdwick ewes also commonly produce desirable market lambs and mules by cross-breeding with Suffolk, Cheviot, Charollais and Texel sheep. [2]

Herdwick lambs are born black and, after a year, they lighten to a dark brown colour (the sheep are called hoggs or hoggets at this stage). After the first shearing, their fleece lightens further to grey. Rams are horned and ewes polled. [21] For shows and auctions, Herdwicks traditionally have their wool ruddied up (the local term for raddled) with dye. Rams are also ruddied when put out with the ewes to show which have been mated and the dye is also one method (called a smit) of marking sheep for ownership. Before chemical dyes became available, this dye was made from either iron ore or graphite mixed with grease. For many years the legal method of identifying a particular shepherd's sheep were notches cut out of a sheep's ear, called lug marks—now replaced by ear tags. [1]

Related Research Articles

Polwarth is a breed of sheep that was developed in Victoria, Australia in 1880. They were of one-quarter Lincoln and three-quarters Merino bloodlines. They are large, predominantly polled sheep with long, soft, fine wool and produce good meat carcasses. They were developed in an attempt to extend the grazing territory of the sheep because the Merino was found lacking in hardiness in this respect. They are a dual-purpose breed with a major emphasis on wool production. Richard Dennis of Tarndwarncoort in southwest Victoria bred the Polwarth, first known as Dennis Comebacks. Descendants of Dennis' sheep continue to grow Polwarth wool at Tarndwarncoort, maintaining the original bloodlines in a flock referred to as the "Blue Dots".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manx Loaghtan</span> Breed of sheep

The Manx Loaghtan is a rare breed of sheep native to the Isle of Man. It is sometimes spelled as Loaghtyn or Loghtan. The sheep have dark brown wool and usually four or occasionally six horns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotswold sheep</span> Breed of sheep

The Cotswold is a British breed of domestic sheep. It originates in, and is named for, the Cotswold hills of the southern midlands of England. It is a large long-woollen sheep, and is kept as a dual-purpose breed, providing both meat and wool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob sheep</span> British breed of domestic sheep

The Jacob is a British breed of domestic sheep. It combines two characteristics unusual in sheep: it is piebald—dark-coloured with areas of white wool—and it is often polycerate or multi-horned. It most commonly has four horns. The origin of the breed is not known; broken-coloured polycerate sheep were present in England by the middle of the seventeenth century, and were widespread a century later. A breed society was formed in 1969, and a flock book was published from 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swaledale sheep</span> Breed of sheep

Swaledale is a breed of domestic sheep named after the Yorkshire valley of Swaledale in England. They are found throughout the more mountainous areas of Great Britain, but particularly in the Yorkshire Dales, County Durham, and around the Pennine fells of Cumbria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lonk</span> British breed of sheep

The Lonk is a British breed of domestic sheep. It belongs to the group of black-faced hill breeds of northern England, and is found in the hills of the central and southern Pennines of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is documented from the mid-eighteenth century; a flock book was started in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rough Fell</span> Breed of sheep

The Rough Fell is an upland breed of sheep originating in England. It is common on fell and moorland farms, its distribution embracing a large proportion of South Cumbria, parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire, North Lancashire and, more recently, upland parts of Devon. It is very hardy and, as its name suggests, has proved to be well-suited to endure the hardships of exposed and high moorland and mountains. It is one of the largest mountain breeds in Britain. This breed is raised primarily for meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romney sheep</span> Sheep breed

The Romney, formerly called the Romney Marsh sheep but generally referred to by the local farmers as the Kent, is a breed of sheep originating in England. The Romney is a "long-wool" breed recognized in England by 1800. Exported to other continents, the Romney is an economically important sheep breed, especially to the sheep-meat and wool export trades of New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppin Merino</span> Breed of sheep

The Peppin Merino is a breed of Merino sheep raised for their wool, mostly in Australia. So important is the Peppin Merino that wool producers throughout Australia often classify their sheep simply as being either Peppin, or non-Peppin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shetland sheep</span> Breed of sheep

The Shetland is a small, wool-producing breed of sheep originating in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, but is now also kept in many other parts of the world. It is part of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, and it is closely related to the extinct Scottish Dunface. Shetlands are classified as a landrace or "unimproved" breed. This breed is kept for its very fine wool, for meat, and for conservation grazing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh Mountain sheep</span> Breed of sheep

Welsh Mountain sheep are small, hardy sheep from the higher parts of the Welsh mountains. The males have horns, and the females are polled (hornless); they have no wool on the face or legs, and they have long tails. There are a number of varieties, bred for sheep farming in Wales. These are mainly colour variations, but some are being developed as separate breeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of sheep husbandry</span>

The raising of domestic sheep has occurred in nearly every inhabited part of the earth, and the variations in cultures and languages which have kept sheep has produced a vast lexicon of unique terminology used to describe sheep husbandry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clun Forest sheep</span> Breed of sheep

The Clun Forest is a breed of domestic sheep originating from the area surrounding the Clun Forest in Shropshire, England. Similar to many of the British breeds of upland sheep, Clun Forest are hardy, adaptable, good foragers, and are long–lived. With sleek heads and wide pelvic structures, Clun Forest ewes lamb easily. The breed has a short to medium–length wool and dark brown faces. They are a multi–purpose animal, kept for meat, wool, and milk. Like other dark faced sheep, Clun produce quality lamb and mutton. However, in contrast to more common meat breeds such as Suffolks, their wool is free of undesirable black fibres and kemp, and is suitable for handspinning. The breed's alert and stylish appearance, together with its reputation for hardiness and fecundity have made it popular with hobby farmers and large commercial flock owners alike. The Official Clun Sheep Breeders Society Show & Sale for males and females is held annually in early September at Ludlow livestock market by McCartneys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic sheep reproduction</span>

"Domestic" sheep reproduce sexually like other mammals, with a reproductive process similar to other domestic herd animals. A flock of sheep is mated by a single ram, which has either been chosen by a farmer or has established dominance through physical contests with other rams. Sheep have a breeding season (tupping) in the autumn, though some can breed year-round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Hill sheep</span> Breed of sheep

The Kerry Hill 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. Kerry Hill sheep have a distinctive and unique coloration, with a white face bearing black markings around the mouth, ears, and eyes. 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. This breed is primarily raised for meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheep</span> Domesticated ruminant bred for meat, wool, and milk

Sheep or domestic sheep are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term sheep can apply to other species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated sheep. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Numbering a little over one billion, domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep. An adult female is referred to as a ewe, an intact male as a ram, occasionally a tup, a castrated male as a wether, and a young sheep as a lamb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zwartbles</span> Sheep breed

The Zwartbles is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Friesland region of the north Netherlands. There it was primarily used for the production of sheep milk as well as lamb and mutton. They were often kept alongside dairy cattle herds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalesbred</span> Breed of sheep

The Dalesbred is a breed of domestic sheep originating in England. Derived from the Swaledale and Scottish Blackface breeds, the Dalesbred is a northern hill breed distributed in the Yorkshire Dales and into Lancashire. The Dalesbred is genetically distinct from the other northern hill breeds, the Herdwick and Rough Fell.

The Devon Closewool is a British breed of domestic sheep. It is distributed almost exclusively on Exmoor in North Devon, in south-west England. It is raised primarily for meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheep farming in Wales</span> Farming in Wales

Sheep farming is an environmental issue in Wales. Much of the nation is rural countryside and sheep are farmed throughout Wales. The woollen industry in Wales was a major contributor to the national economy, accounting for two-thirds of the nation's exports in 1660. Sheep farms are most often situated in the country's mountains and moorlands, where sheepdogs are employed to round up flocks. Sheep are also reared, however, along the south and west coasts of Wales. In 2017 there were more than 10 million sheep in Wales and the total flock made up nearly 33% of the British total. In 2011 sheep farming accounted for 20% of agriculture in Wales.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bryson, Bill; Photographs by Annie Griffths Belt (August 1994). "Beauty Besieged: England's Lake District". National Geographic Magazine . 182 (2). National Geographic Society.
  2. 1 2 3 "Introduction to Herdwick Sheep". Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  3. ↑ Davies, Hunter. A Walk Around the Lakes, Frances Lincoln Limited, 2009 (revised edition), p. 94
  4. ↑ "Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association". Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  5. ↑ Ferguson, Richard Saul (1894). A History of Westmoreland. E. Stock. p.  290. Herdwick sheep.
  6. ↑ Janet Vorwald Dohner (2001). The encyclopedia of historic and endangered livestock and poultry breeds. Yale University Press. p. 124. ISBN   978-0-300-08880-9.
  7. 1 2 Brown, Jules (2002). The Rough Guide to the Lake District. Rough Guides. ISBN   1-85828-894-0.
  8. ↑ Denyer, Susan (2004). Beatrix Potter: At Home in the Lake District. Frances Lincoln Ltd. ISBN   0-7112-2381-5. p. 124
  9. 1 2 The secret to farming carpets. National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty. 2002. ISBN   1-85828-894-0. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007.
  10. ↑ Elliot, Valerie (7 March 2009). "Butchers urged to sell meat from rare British sheep". The Times . London.[ dead link ]
  11. ↑ "UK begins mass animal burial". CNN. 26 March 2001. Archived from the original on 29 October 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  12. ↑ Jones, George (26 March 2001). "Blair puts off use of vaccination in second U-turn". The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on 19 November 2002. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  13. ↑ "If they go, it is the end of Lakeland". The Guardian . London. 11 April 2001. Retrieved 2 November 2007.
  14. ↑ "Ark of Taste". Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. Retrieved 31 October 2007.[ dead link ]
  15. ↑ "Herdwick Sheep Breeders' News". Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  16. ↑ Jopson, Earnest (18 October 2007). "Quite a show...even without sheep". Whitehaven News . Retrieved 31 October 2007.[ dead link ]
  17. ↑ King, Tim. "Herdwick Sheep: Sturdy & Scrumptious". Sheep! magazine. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
  18. ↑ "Protected status for Lakeland Herdwick sheep". BBC . 16 May 2013.
  19. 1 2 "Topic 2 – Farming". Understanding the National Park. Lake District National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 1 November 2007.
  20. ↑ "Thermafleece: Sheep's Wool Home Insulation" . Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  21. ↑ "Herdwick Sheep". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University . Retrieved 6 September 2016.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.