The performance of Finnish Landrace sheep in Britain

Abstract

A group often female and five male Finnish Landrace sheep were taken to Scotland in 1962. In subsequent purebreeding for four years they and their offspring have shown average litter sizes (at birth) of 2·0, 3·0 and 3·4 for ewes aged one, two and three or more years respectively.Body weights of breeding ewes prior to mating were on average 72, 106 and 128 lb for ewes of the three age groups.Mean ewe fleece weights were 4·5 lb with the wide range of 1·7 to 7·1 lb due in part to some shedding of fleece wool in spring. The quality of the true wool in the undercoat was estimated at 54–56's.