Biology:Dorset Down
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Short description: Breed of sheep
The Dorset Down is a breed of sheep native to the Dorset Downs region of England . It originated in the early 19th century from crosses of local and Hampshire ewes with Southdown rams.[1] The breed is not closely related to the Dorset (a.k.a. Dorset Horned), which is a white-faced sheep.
Dorset Downs are medium-sized, robust sheep with dark faces and short wool.[2] Prior to the importation of Continental breeds like the Texel, the Dorset Down was a popular terminal sire breed in the United Kingdom. Today it is listed as a minority breed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.[3] It was also exported to North and South America, New Zealand and Australia, but remains fairly rare in those countries as well.[4]
References
- ↑ Susan Schoenian. "Sheep Breeds D-F". sheep101.info. http://www.sheep101.info/breedsD-F.html.
- ↑ "Dorset Down". National Sheep Association. http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=40.
- ↑ "Dorset Down". Watchlist. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived from the original on 2009-08-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20090829115411/http://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/sheep/dorsetdown.
- ↑ "Dorset Down". ansi.okstate.edu. Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science. Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20100605175004/http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/dorsetdown/index.htm.
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