TheTeeswaterSheep

by Lizette Hopkins of SpinGlitz

This long wool breed hails from Teesdale, England and named for the river Tees. Bred in northern England for about 200 years primarily for meat, the numbers dwindled making the breed rare by the 1920’s. At that time, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust put this breed on its “at risk” list. There has been a resurgence since The Teeswater Sheep Breeders’ Association was formed in 1949. The aim was to encourage and improve the breeding of Teeswater Sheep.

This amazing long wool breed is in the process of being established here in the United States and Canada and is renowned for its unique long lustrous curls and distinct facial markings. The head is of medium length with large ears and purled locks growing between the ears. Teeswater wool should be fine, long stapled with a high sheen and each lock hanging free with no tendency to felt and uniform in texture over the whole body. The Teeswater sheep is intelligent and alert, yet among the most docile of breeds. The fleece should be uniform in texture with no dark fibers. The Teeswater produces a kemp free fleece, a characteristic it passes on. The wool is soft and supple to handle. It retains its curl and luster after washing and the luster remains after spinning giving the finished product a pearly sheen.

History:

1997, Dr. Gourley imported the first Teeswater and Wensleydale semen into the United States.

1998, The First 50 percent Teeswater lambs born in the United States and the Teeswater Registry was started. They registered almost 200 sheep before 2007 when the American Teeswater Sheep Association was organized. At the beginning of 2014 over 1000 Teeswater sheep have been registered in the United States.

The Teeswater Sheep Society of North America has been developed to p support for the breed and breeders, the founding members have done the hard work and fought the battles with government red tape and starting from scratch. They state: While all North American Teeswaters have the possibility of creating a colored Teeswater. We will embrace those sheep as fortunate events and not a slight to the breed. Colored sheep have appeared in totally white flocks forever and have been given value through many of the established sheep associations, just as they are valued here. TSSNA also provides a gathering place for the breeders and fiber artists who create masterpieces with the beautiful fiber grown by these outstanding sheep!

Lakeland Majestic was the first Teeswater ram collected, and shortly after that the U.K. went through a bout of Foot and Mouth disease which halted the collection of any more rams for four years. With the restrictions finally lifted six more rams were collected over the years and have made the trip to the United States.

Currently, we are back to waiting for restrictions to clear the way for new genetics to be allowed to come in from the U.K.

The rams were bred with Wensleydale to create the Masham (pronounced Massam) as well as other hill sheep breeds. Here in the U.S.,Teeswater is being crossed with Merino and other breeds.

Statistics

Average Mature Weight: Rams: 250 - 300 lbs. Ewes: 150 - 250 lbs

Average Prolificacy: Yearling ewes - 200%, mature ewes 250%.

Birth Weight & Growth Rate: Lambs will average 10 - 13 lbs at birth with a growth rate that enables a lamb to reach 100 - 160 lbs at five months of age. Average lamb weight at eight weeks: Singles 50 - 57 lbs. Twins 40-48 lbs.

Micron Count: 30 - 35

Staple Length: 8 - 12 inches.

Yearling Fleece Weight: 10 - 15 lbs.