Sheep Breeds in Focus - Jacob Sheep

Jacob sheep are often alert and can be very quick witted.  They are a very striking and beautiful breed.  They have an impressive posture and this combined with their piebald fleece and extravagant and large horns (all Jacobs have horns) makes them a hard breed to ignore in the show ring.  Their striking appearance can though often be mistaken for a goat but they are 100% a sheep.  The name has original in the bible, where Jacob kept piebald sheep.

By nature they are a kindly breed.  They were once a minority breed, however their popularity has recently increased interest in saving rare breeds.  They are also an excellent sheep for conservation grazing as they often naturally shed its fleece in the spring making management much easier.

The wool although of a medium grade is often sought after by hand spinners, s long as it is free of kemp.  The piebald nature means that various shades can be produced without dying depending on how the wool is sorted prior to spinning.

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