Clun Forest Sheep Origin, Characteristics, Milk, Wool & Meat Quality

The Clun Forest is a domestic sheep breed that originated in the Clun Forest area of Shropshire, England. Clun Forest sheep are tough, versatile, good grazers, and have a long lifespan, just like many British upland sheep varieties.  Clun Forest ewes lamb quickly due to their slim heads and large pelvic bones. 

The breed's fleece is small to medium in length and its faces are dark brown. They are versatile animals, raised for meat, wool, and milk. Clun, like some other dark-faced sheep, yields exceptional lamb and mutton. Fortunately, their fleece is free from unsolicited black fibers and kemp, and is appropriate for man-spinning, unlike more common breeds such as Suffolks.

Clun Forest sheep are small to moderate size dark-faced sheep renowned for their sturdiness, longevity, productivity, and motherhood skills. Due to the elevated butterfat content of her milk, a Clun ewe typically produces twins that grow rapidly.

Clun Forest Sheep Characteristics

The Clun's most distinctive feature is its face, which is a deep dark color, thin, and devoid of fleece except for a woolly top knot. The ears are straight, which gives the sheep a very alert and vivid look. The sheep's powerful body is highlighted by a long, wide back and a thick muscular neck. The fleece should be consistent in staple length, color, and structure from head to tail, and the legs below the knee should be free of fleece as much as possible.

Clun Forest Sheep Meat

Clun Meat Forest sheep have a natural affinity for grassland farming. On grass alone, lambs routinely attain a marketable weight of 100 pounds. (45 kg) at 7 to 8 months. The meat is thin and crumbly.

Clun Forest Sheep Wool 

Clun Forest fleeces are somewhat heavy (6 - 8 lbs) and have a 4 inches staple length, and they are highly uniform from neck to limbs. Clun fleeces have an approximate spinning count of 58 and are devoid of dark or kempy fibers.

Clun Forest Sheep Milk

Clun Forest ewes have the greatest butterfat content of any regional sheep breed, thus they're frequently bred with dairy sheep like the East Friesian to add additional richness to sheep dairy products.

Clun Forest Sheep Origin

Clun Forest sheep are a regional sheep breed that originated in Shropshire, England. The breed is named after the ancient town of Clun and the neighboring forests in Shropshire, England's southwest corner. The breed was first mentioned in 1803 when the Rev. Joseph Plymley, writing for the Shropshire Board of Agriculture on agriculture in the county, quoted from a previous report on these forest sheep.