Bluestone Wiltshire Horn

The Wiltshire Horn is a very old breed which may have been brought to Britain by the Romans from the Mediterranean. Until the end of the eighteenth century they were the predominant breed to be found on the Wiltshire Downs in England. At this time the sheep were able to roam freely doing well on the poor terrain which offered little shade or protection. It is this background that has given the breed it’s hardiness and resilience.  The popularity of the breed is primarily due to it’s ability to shed it’s fleece. The Wiltshire Horn has a short fleece that naturally sheds in the spring leaving a short hair coat. The fleece will then grow again in the autumn to offer protection during the winter months. The advantages of self shedding sheep are clear to see. Less labour costs as there is no need to gather sheep for shearing, removal of wool from any areas or dipping therefore very popular with lifestyle blocks/smallholders because of it’s easy care characteristics. The Wiltshire Horn for both pure and cross breeding ewes are good, and milky mothers.  Both pure-bred and cross-bred lambs have remarkable vitality at birth and will finish off grass growing to heavy weights without putting on excess fat. Wiltshire Horn breed is the traditional choice for the 21 st century.  It has the strengths of a native lowland breed, combined with low maintenance and low input costs, and has the ability to meet the most stringent requirements of the modern sheep industry.