Shetland sheep

Shetland

A Shetland lamb with the common "moorit" (reddish brown) colour
Country of origin	Scotland (Shetland)
Type	Northern European short-tailed
Use	Wool, meat, conservation grazing
Traits
Weight	Male: 41–57 kg Female: 34–45 kg
Wool color	Variable
Face color	Variable
Horn status	Males horned, ewes occasionally horned[citation needed]
Sheep Ovis aries

The Shetland is a small, wool-producing breed of sheep originating in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, but is now also kept in many other parts of the world. It is part of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, and it is closely related to the extinct Scottish Dunface. Shetlands are classified as a landrace or "unimproved" breed.^[1] This breed is kept for its very fine wool, for meat, and for conservation grazing.^[2]

Although Shetlands are small and slow-growing compared to commercial breeds, they are hardy, thrifty, easy lambers, adaptable and long-lived. The Shetland breed has survived for centuries in difficult conditions and on a poor diet, but they thrive in better conditions. Shetlands retain many of their primitive survival instincts, so they are easier to care for than many modern breeds.