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Soay
Sheep
Soay
are a primitive short tailed sheep.
The soay are small and deerlike
in apperance. They naturally shed
their wool each Spring.
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Soay
ewes and rams
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Soays are an ancient breed of sheep
coming from the Soay Island. Soay
survived on the Soay Isle without
help from man for centuries. They
were transported from the island
to the mainland of Europe in the
1910's as an ornamental breed. Soay
were brought to the United States
from two importations 1974 and the
1990's (Dohner, 2001).
 Soay
are a hardy unimproved "primitive"
landrace. Since they are a landrace
there is much diversity in colors,
fleece type, and horn type. Soay
are smaller than commercial breeds
and require little feed or assistance
in lambing. Soay have a short
tail that does not require docking
and are one of the most worm resistant
breeds.
There is much variance in color
and horns in soay. Soay come in
dark and light phases, self and
agouti colors as well as with
or without white spots. Ewes can
be horned or polled. There are
some polled flocks in the US,
where the rams are scurred.
Soay
are an excellent low maintence
addition to a diversified homestead.
For
excellent information about the
breed from a breeder that has
been working with them for years
check out Saltmarsh
Ranch and Southern
Oregon Soay Farms.
References
Dohner, Janet Vorwald. 2001.
The Encyclopedia of Historic and
Endangered Livestock and Poultry
Breeds. Yale University Press.
New Haven and London.
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