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Faroese sheep
| Place of Origin | Faroe Islands |
| Origin | Also Known By: Færøerne (Danish), the Faroese sheep is a breed of domestic sheep native to the Faroe Islands. One of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, it is a small, very hardy breed. The origins of the Faeroes breed goes back to the Old Norwegian, Icelandic and perhaps Shetland breeds. They are not gregarious and tend to be territorial. The Faeroes will forage in small groups, spreading to cover the entire area, behaving somewhat like the Icelandic sheep. These sheep are small and well adapted to mountainous terrain. |
| Characteristics | Faroes ewes weigh around 45 pounds (20 kg) at maturity, and rams are 45–90 pounds (20–40 kg). Rams are horned and ewes are usually polled, and the breed occurs naturally in many different colours varies from white, grey, light red, dark red, chestnut brown, to black. Faroes tend to have very little flocking instinct, and will range freely in small groups in pastureland. They are most closely related to the Old Norwegian and Icelandic breeds. |
| Other Considerations | First introduced in the 9th century, Faroes sheep have long been an integral part of the island traditions. The name Faeroe itself is thought to mean "sheep islands", and the animal is depicted on the Faroe Islands' historic coat of arms. Lamb and mutton dishes made from Faroes sheep, such as skerpikjøt, are a large part of traditional island cuisine. The breed is primarily kept for meat production, but wool is used for traditional knitwear like the Faroese shawl. |
