Finnsheep
All About Finnsheep
Finnsheep is a landrace breed of sheep, meaning they were developed and adapted to a certain location, in this case Finland. One of the most notable characteristics of Finnsheep, is that they are extremely prolific. Triplets, quadruplets and quintuplets are very common. Nine lambs at once seems to be the record in Finland, and eight in the USA. They are very attractive sheep, with a wool-free, nicely shaped head. They are early maturing, and can be bred twice a year. They are wonderful mothers, lamb easily, and make plenty of milk for the large "litters" of lambs. The lambs are vigorous and sturdy, not to mention, adorable!
The Wool
Finnsheep have beautiful wool! They come in a variety of colors. White is most common, but they can also be black, grey, and brown, and can either be solid colored, piebald or badger faced. Here is what the USA Finnsheep Breeders Association have to say about the wool:
Finnsheep have beautiful wool! They come in a variety of colors. White is most common, but they can also be black, grey, and brown, and can either be solid colored, piebald or badger faced. Here is what the USA Finnsheep Breeders Association have to say about the wool:
"A medium wool with a micron count from 24-31 and a staple length from 3-6 inches, it is suitable for hand-spinning and knitting of outer garments such as sweaters, socks, hats, etc. The lamb fleeces are soft enough to make garments worn next to the skin. It is also an excellent wool for felting and can be used for traditional (wet) felting, needle-felting and fulling projects. The distinctive characteristics of Finn wool are luster and a soft hand."
The Meat
Finnsheep are not nearly as large as sheep bred specifically for meat, but the quality of the meat makes up for it. The meat from Finn lambs is lean, tender, and is described as having a "light, delicate flavor". The lambs are slower growing than most meat breeds, and are butchered at 75-85# at around 8 months of age. Their meat to bone ratio is very good, due to being a smaller boned breed. As is our practice, our lambs will be grass fed and grass finished. Tasty and nutritious!
Breeding Stock
If you are interested in starting your own flock of Finnsheep, we can help you out! We will have a limited amount of ewe lambs available for purchase each year. If owning sheep is something you have always wanted to do, try some Finnsheep!
Fresh Lamb
We will have grass fed/grass finished lamb available in November. We raise our lambs with no chemical inputs, so you don't have to worry about any harmful substances in your meat. With the breed of lamb that we raise, we expect between 25 and 35 lbs of finished meat. If you are interested in purchasing lamb, click on the button below for more information.
