Border Leicester

Sheep · Wool · 0 live listings

Border Leicesters were developed in the 1700s on the England and Scotland border, and are a longwool breed with a Roman nose and upright ears. Their lustrous, curly locks are a handspinner favorite, and ewes milk well.

At a glance

Purpose
Wool and meat
Origin
English-Scottish border
Mature weight
Ewes 150–200 lb
Lifespan
10–12 years
Temperament
Alert, gentle
Best fit
Fiber flocks, spinners
Species
Sheep
Category
Livestock
Group
Wool
Registries
Breed association, Scrapie program tag, NSIP (genetic evaluation)
Papers
5 categories
DocilityAlert but gentle
HardinessBetter in mild climates
Fleece workLong locks, coats help
Beginner fitGood fiber flock start

Scales follow breed-club and veterinary consensus; individual animals vary. Listings show what each seller has on file.

The tradeoffs, honestly

Longwool fleece picks up hay and burrs, so many spinners coat their sheep. Border Leicesters are less hardy on poor, wet hill ground than smaller breeds.

Common questions

What is Border Leicester wool like?

Long, lustrous and curly, often 5 to 10 inches of staple and about 30 to 38 microns. It is valued for spinning and comes in white and natural colors.

What health tests should they have?

Ask for OPP, CL and Johne's results for the flock, and check that each sheep carries official scrapie ID. Codon 171 scrapie genotype (RR is resistant) is worth asking for on breeding rams.

Do they need to be coated?

Not required, but coats keep vegetable matter out of long fleece and make it much more valuable to spinners. Coats need resizing as wool grows.

Market, past 90 daysFull index →
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Typical rangeNot enough sales yet for a rangeLive listings0
Health tests to ask for
Veterinary exam on fileScrapie genotypeOPP negativeJohne's negativeCL (caseous lymphadenitis) negativeCD&T currentDNA parentage verifiedOfficial scrapie ID recorded

Ask the seller for these. Documents on Everybarn are on file for your own checks; we don't check them with the issuer.

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Border Leicester · Everybarn