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| Description | ||
The South Country Cheviot is a white-faced hardy hill sheep, found up to 3,000ft, with a little help expected in severe weather. Smaller then the North Country Cheviot, it is noted for its hefting instinct. Ewes have fine hard white hair on the face and over the crown, as well as on the legs, which ideally have fine, flat quality bone. Rams can have horns, and the fleece of both sexes is dense, firm, and should have no coloured hair or kemp. The ewes are hefted onto the hill, draft ewes being taken down the hill every year, and ewe lambs added annually. |
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| Area | ||
This breed is kept mainly on the Scottish Borders, but also in the North West of Scotland, Wales and Exmoor, and has been exported throughout the world. Due to its geographical location this breed was endangered in the 2001 FMD outbreak. |
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| General Information |
Attonburn Highland Queen Cheviot Ewe
Cheviot Mule Hoggs Photographs courtesy of the Cheviot Sheep Society © (2003) |
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| Average bodyweight of mature ewe: | ||
| Average bodyweight of mature ram: | ||
| Meat |
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Straight from ewe carcass weight of lamb at slaughter: Store lamb carcass weight (overwintered): |
17kg
21kg |
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| Wool Characteristics |
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| Average fleece weight: | 2-2.5kg | |
| Staple length average: | 8-10cm | |
| Bradford count: | 48-56 | |
| Main uses: | hosiery, tweeds, rugs, blankets | |
| Average Prolificacy |
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| Under normal hill conditions: | 100-120% | |
| With better keep: | 140-160% | |
| Main Uses of the Breed | ||
The main importance of the Cheviot is for prime lamb production, and has won many carcase competitions due to its outstanding quality, this being based on the ewe, which has a good shoulder and broad back particularly over the loin. The hill lamb is late maturing, keeping both its fresh lamb colour and its teeth through to the spring. Crossbreds from the Texel ram have won many carcase competitions too, but Cheviots are also popular for crossing with the Suffolk or continental breeds. The Cheviot ram has been used extensively in Wales on the Welsh ewe for development of the Brecknock Cheviot. In the Borders farmers selected Cheviot draft ewes for crossing with the Border Leicester to produce the Bluefaced Leicester, a distinct breed of its own by the 1930’s. Although now declined to marginal importance for this breed, the Cheviot fleece has recently been very successful in the Wool Producer of the Year Competition. |
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| Shows and Sales | ||
Lamb sales are held at regular intervals from the end of August to November, and the main centres are at: Dumfries - Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmer - 01387 255366 Longtown - Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmer - 01228 791215 Lanark - Lawrie & Symington - 01555 662281 St Boswells - John Swan & Sons - 01835 822214 Lockerbie - Harrison & Hetherington - 01576 202332 Newcastleton - Harrison & Hetherington In the second half of September top draws of draft ewes are sold at the centres mentioned above. The main Ram Show and Sale is held at Lockerbie on the first Monday in October. |
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| Society Details | ||
Cheviot Sheep Society Email: info@cheviotsheep.org Breed Description compiled with help from The National Sheep Association |
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Company Number 4284999, Charity Number 1094514.
Registered office University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.