Sheep of St. Kilda

The texture of the fleece of Soay Sheep varies greatly. There are two extremes of type which are described as “Hairy animals” and “Woolly animals” but there are many animals whose fleece is intermediate between the two types. 

Hairy fleeced "Primitive" ram and a woolly fleeced ewe on the right

Hairy, Primitive, Fleeced Soay 
 
Primitive type Ram

       "Hairy" sheep have straight    
       hairs  which are longer than the
       main fleece.  This is most
       noticeable around  the
       neck,along the back and under
       the chin and especially so with 
       some rams. It has also   
       been described as a 
      “Primitive”  type fleece and is
       most noticeable when
       the  animal has a full  winter
       coat.

Detail Soay ram mane and ruff, hairy, primitive
characteristics

Hairy fleeced primitive light phase ewe, winter coat, a dark phase woolly ewe
is behind her

                        
   Detail, hairy fleece  rump                                       Detail, hairy fleece  neck
                                                                                                                     
 
                      

Woolly fleece

“Woolly” sheep do not have the extra long hairs in their fleece at the extreme
theirs is a a very even textured coat.

Semi Hairy Fleece

Semi hairy fleece type has the hairy ridge on the neck, but the even textured coat of
the woolly sheep. There are no long hairs except for the neck.  

 Moulting

There is vast variation when the sheep moult in the spring. Usually the rams begin to shed before the ewes. Shedding of the fleece is hormone related and is also triggered by the condition of the sheep. Some animals will shed their fleece at a steady rate and some will suddenly have it hanging off all over the place. Shedding usually starts about May but some animals will not start until late July or August. Non-breeding ewes and castrated males will often not shed .

These ewes in the Village area of Hirta have not shed their fleece for several years.  
  
Old ewe with several years of fleece

The ewe on the left has shed most of her fleece except over her shoulders. Mullach Sgar,
Hirta  


                                                                                                                
    This ewe has shed the fleece 
    along her back but not along 
    her  sides where it has been 
    retained.    

         
    Because the blow fly is not 
    found on St. Kilda, fly strike on
    sheep with retained fleece is
    not a problem there  This is
    not the case on most of the
    mainland however, where
    it can be a life threatening. 
    It is important therefore, to
    remove old unshed fleece
    either by (rooing) plucking or 
    with hand clippers. 


    The flocks of Soay on 
    St.Kilda, although tagged for 
    observation purposes, are
    not managed in any way.

 Partially shed Soay ewe, Hirta

  

Ram in the village area that has fully shed his fleece

Soay Ewe fully shed, Ruaival, Hirta

NOTE:  The photos at the beginning of this article are mainland (UK) sheep because we have only visited St. Kilda in the summer months when fleece differences are not as obvious as when they have their winter coats . All of the photos of sheep retaining their fleece or shedding were taken on Hirta, (St. Kilda).