The Black Welsh Mountain sheep is a breed of domestic sheep from United Kingdom. It was actually developed in the mountains of Wales, and is the only completely black breed of domestic sheep in the United Kingdom.
The breed was developed from black sheep that occurred in the Welsh Mountain breed, which was white. The breed is also called Defaid Mynydd Duon.
Welsh shepherds began to breed the black sheep together, also selecting for a finer fleece and improved body conformation about a century ago.
The resulting breed was recognized in the year of 1922. And the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Society was established in the same year.
Like most other sheep breeds in Welsh, this breed is also found mainly on the hills in Wales. But the breed is also kept elsewhere.
Total population of this breed is not too much. And the worldwide population of the Black Welsh Mountain sheep is approximately 10,000.
It was first imported into North America by Thomas Wyman of Easton, Maryland in 1972. Read some more information about this breed below.
Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Characteristics
The Black Welsh Mountain sheep is a small to medium sized breed. As the name suggests, the breed appear mainly in black color.
It occurs occasionally in flocks of other colors, but is now often maintained as a separate strain. These animals have no wool on their face or legs.
And their wool is short, thick and densely stapled.
The Black Welsh Mountain rams are horned, but the ewes are naturally polled. Horn of the rams are curl around the ears.
Average live body weight of the mature animals vary from 45 to 60 kg. Photo and info from The Livestock Conservancy and Wikipedia.
Uses
It is a meat sheep breed. It is raised mainly for meat production. But sometimes also raised for wool.
Special Notes
The Black Welsh Mountain sheep are very hardy animals. They are well known for easy lambing, good milk production and also for very high fertility.
They are excellent foragers and the ewes are excellent mothers. They are able to raise their lambs on marginal pasture.
The breed is raised mainly for meat production, but it is also good for the production of wool. It’s wool is short, thick and densely stapled. The staple length is 5-10 cm, and average fiber diameter ranges between 28 and 36 microns.
Average wool clip is 3 to 4 lbs per sheep, and wool of these animals is attractive to handspinners. However, review full breed profile of this breed in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Black Welsh Mountain |
| Other Name | Defaid Mynydd Duon |
| Breed Purpose | Mainly meat, also wool |
| Special Notes | Very hardy and strong, ewes are highly prolific, known for easy lambing, ewes are good milkers, known for high fertility, excellent foragers, ewes are excellent mothers and are able to raise their lambs on marginal pasture, raised mainly for meat, good for wool production |
| Breed Size | Small to medium |
| Weight | Vary from 45 to 60 Kg |
| Horns | Rams have horns, but ewes are polled |
| Climate Tolerance | Native climates |
| Color | Black |
| Rarity | Threatened |
| Country/Place of Origin | United Kingdom |
