Keer Falls Forest Farm

Whitefaced Woodland Sheep

Whitefaced Woodland sheep are hill sheep, both the ewes and rams are horned, the ewe's horns are usually a single curve, while those of the ram or "tup" are spiralled. They are one of the biggest hill breeds, with one of the finest fleeces of any of the hill sheep breeds.
On good grazing, the ewes can grow to sixty kilos and the tups can grow up to one hundred kilos.
White faced as the name suggests, they may have the slightest speckles on their noses, pink noses are preferred. White legs without wool or kemp and pink feet, although again, some colour on the hoof is permitted.
For more detail on what makes a good Woodland, see my PDF on the inspection process.

Whitefaced Woodland ewes and rams are horned

One of the larger hill breeds

At Keer Falls, we have been breeding Whitefaced Woodlands since 1987, we are looking for a big, well boned ewe, with a good tight fleece and tight horns to a broad face.

Why keep Whitefaced Woodlands?

Whitefaced Woodland ewes are excellent mothers. In my experience, Woodland ewes;

  • Have more lambs than Beltex ewes, but not as many as Teeswaters,
  • Rear more of their lambs than other breeds I've kept here,
  • Rarely need help lambing,
  • Produce plenty of milk,
  • Fiercely protect their lambs from predators such as foxes,
  • Sell well as Cast Ewes.

Woodland lambs are hardy, but like all hill lambs, grow slower than lowland breeds, such as Texels, but reach heavier weights, and often sell for more than most other hill breeds and many lowland sheep!

On 17th May 2016, the following were the highest prices for hogs sold at Junction 36 Auction Mart (source NWA newsletter as reported to EBLEX):

  • Woodlands £55
  • Rough Fell £54
  • Lonk £54
  • Dales £45
  • Swale £57, £52
  • Ryeland £45

Cast Ewes sold to:
  • Woodlands £68
  • Masham £74, £68
  • Rough Fell £73, £54
  • Scottish Black Faced £66, £60
  • Dales £65
  • Herd £61
  • Beltex £60
  • Leicester £56

This was just one sale, but our Woodlands regularly top the hill lamb market.

Woodlands are hardy, hill sheep

They're great mothers

Lambs are hardy

Lambs reach good weights

Top hill lamb market

Contact us
Email:
       philip@keerfalls.co.uk

Tel.: 015242 21019

Keer Falls.
Arkholme,
Carnforth,
Lancs.
LA6 1AP

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