Is this an odd color?

[Wendy]

I got some sheep given to me back in October.  I was told they were Leiscaster (sp) and something else mix -  supposed to be good for spinners  I was told.  I don't spin so I don't know.  Anyways in January  one of the ewes gave birth to twins.  One is all white and the other one is black body with white legs.    She has white on top of her head - her tail is black about an inch and the rest is white.   She also has a couple white spots like in her shoulder area and her leg.  Her neck has what looks to be gray to me.   I was just curious if this is an odd coloring?  And if anyone knows what kind of breeding she cold have in her?

After she was born - I was told that this lady she came from had a Freisian that was colored like this and the mom to this baby must be a daughter to the Friesian.  Aren't they a milk sheep?  I do know that she has ALOT bigger udder than the other ewe that had a single birth in Feb.

I'll try to add a picture of her.  

Thanks for any info anyone can give me - this is the first time I've been around sheep.

[shortstufffarm]

I don't know much about sheep, but I thinks it beautiful.  I must say I have never seen one that color,but....

[Rock Springs Ranch]

Wendy, I would say the little one takes after a East Friesian more than a Leicester Longwool.  I would say they were a cross of the two.
The sibling resembling more a Leicester Longwool ( though they are known for the mop of wool over the crown of the head, white wool that falls in long,lustrous ringlets....) The East Friesian are known for their milk as they are not good for meat.  They produce more milk than any other breed, and very prolific ( this is the milk that makes Roquefort cheese - yummy! )  The color is not coming from either of the breeds as both of these breeds are white... the color has just come from a color down the line somewhere...
I hope this helps some...

[Wendy]

thanks - I thought she was pretty (in her own way) and very different colored.  I've never seen one that way.  I've seen (online) the ones that are white body with the black legs and face - but not the way she is.  That's why I was curious if she is odd colored?

None of the sheep I have - have that crown on the head as you described.  Their wool is very thick - but that could be that they need sheared.  If I spread it apart - I'd say by measuring against my hand it's about 5 inches long. They are getting ucky looking.  We are having a really hard time trying to find someone to shear.  

The moms and the ram that I have - have like a long looking face - and this black ewe and her sibling have short stocky looking faces.  The other lamb has the long face.  I'll post a picture of the single lamb.  And one of both moms and the ram when we first got them.

Is her wool good for anything?  Her wool is more long and kinda straighter than all the others.  The other lambs are more of tighter curls.  The moms are kinda like the lambs (just longer wool)  And the ram is like crimped looking.

[Rock Springs Ranch]

In my opinion, the photo of the 3 are Border Leicester, no closed face ( wool on their faces ) the lamb has a closed face, I would guess he and his brother are a Leicester Longwool/East Friesian cross...

To answer your question about the wool... yes, the wool on the 3 can be put together and sold to a wool pool or CoOp  but the little one's wool  needs to be kept separate and sold privately to a handspinner... wool buyers can't buy it and wait for a match of like wool to sell as a whole bolt.
Some really love the marbled colors and others find it hard to make things with...
Make sure you tell your shearer that you would like to use it for something, he will shear differently for you...no neck wool, belly wool, and back end, only the best will be saved.  Then you can contact a wool mill to have processed if you would like... my favorite is Yolo Woll Mill.
Yolowoolmill.com.

[amo69]

she is beautiful!!  i love it
laura

[Amy Goatress]

She is lovely.

[Wendy]

Thanks everyone.

I do have a question about wool - can you quilt with it?  I don't spin and don't know what else you can do with it- if I keep this black wool.  I do know of a couple of ladies (well  friends of my dad) that spins.  I think they might take(buy) the wool from me.  

Border Leicester that was one of breeds mentioned when got these sheep - but don't remember the other breed.  The Friesian wasn't mentioned until AFTER she was born.  So I think she is like a 1/3 of these breeds.  Is the freisian a small breed?  The mom to these twins is shorter than the other ewe. More delicate looking in the face. (she is my favorite)

When we got the 3 - they were scared of us - would stomp feet and couldn't touch them.  NOW I can touch all of them.  There is one ewe that is really friendly she loves to have her head/ears rubbed and for me to reach in her wool and scratch her(that is okay right - I'm not messing up the wool doing that am I?) She likes to be scratched all over even her udder rubbed (she is the one that is the mom to this black one)   I know you make cheese out of sheep milk - but can you drink it?  or is cheese the only thing you do? just curious - I don't really need any more milk - 2 does is plenty(and I even throw some of that away).

Thanks Rock Springs for all your information!

[Rock Springs Ranch]

Yes, a nice thing to do with your wool is to have it made into a comforter or quilt if you or even fluff if you want to make crafts... did you ckeck out the Yolo Wool Mill site?  it shows all the different things...one warning though, all of these things are very expensive, plus what is not included in their prices is the fact that you have to send it off to be scoured first ( they can do it offsite if you send it raw to them)
Its far cheaper to just buy wool products but the novelty is that it came from your farm so it makes it, oh so special.
Im having some made up into roving, one of each of the colors we have here, just to display in a basket with knitting needles.