Kerry Hill Sheep Temperament, Characteristics, Weight, Wool Quality

The Kerry Hill is a household sheep breed that originated in the Welsh region of Powys. It takes its name from Kerry, a community near Newtown. The sheep of Kerry Hill has a unique distinctive color, with a white face and black marks around their mouths, their ears, and their eyes.

Rams and ewes are polled naturally. They have white fleece and white legs with black markings.  The breed was first mentioned in the early nineteenth century, and it is now found in the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, and Germany. Despite the fact that the breed is still low in numbers, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust excluded it from their watchlist in 2006. This breed is mainly bred for meat production.

In its long record, the breed has evolved significantly, and it is now a sheep of bold, robust character, with ewes proving to be great mothers. The wool is a white, thick, kemp-free fleece that is classified as a Down breed for marketing purposes. 

Kerry Hill Sheep Temperament

The Kerry Hill sheep have adjusted well to their native climatic conditions and can also be found in other regions of the world. They can be kept as pets because they are easy to handle and have a placid temperament. These sheep are also suitable for large farming setups due to their docile nature and placid temperament which make them easy to handle and require less maintenance.

Kerry Hill Sheep Characteristics

The Kerry Hill is a strong moderate size breed with a typical ewe weighing 55 to 65 kg (121 to 143 pounds) and a ram weighs a bit more than ewe.  It has a white face with black stripes on the nose and around the eyes, as well as long, black ears with no wool that are set high on the head. The legs are black and white. 

Kerry Hill Sheep Weight

A fully grown ewe weighs approximately 55 to 65kg while a mature ram weighs around 65 to 70kg. Variation in weight is possible due to a number of factors like raising environment, feed, etc.

Kerry Hill Sheep Wool Quality

Kerry Hill sheep breed produces white creamy wool that is dense and has a velvety thick texture. The breed is mainly bred for meat production.  The wool is 2.5 kg in weight, with a 10 cm staple length and a Bradford count of 54 to 56.