WASHINGTON — The Scottish Blackface Breeders Union is a promotional group supported by Scottish Blackface breeders in North America.
Early in 2008, a dedicated group of Scottish Blackface breeders organized the Scottish Blackface Breeders Union (SBBU). The purpose of the group is to promote the SBF breed, bring it to a more prominent position within the general sheep breeding community, and to promote grass based sheep production.
Activities include the maintenance of a website – www.SBBU.org, (where we list all our members), advertising, directory listings, producing promotional brochures, maintaining a Facebook group page and answering enquiries.
Scottish Blackface Breeders Union is very pleased to announce that we have contracted with Associated Registry http://associatedregistry.com to provide a registration service as an added benefit to membership in the SBBU. This registry will maintain electronic records of all registered Scottish Blackface sheep.
The website for SBBU is undergoing a facelift and the new version will soon be published. The website provides educational information about Scottish Blackface sheep and resources for prospective breeders.
Here is an excerpt from the website:
The Scottish Blackface breed’s origin is lost in the mists of time but undoubtedly emerged from the horned hill sheep that old monastery records of the 12th Century speak of. The monks used the wool for clothing and also exported large amounts to Europe. The breed was improved over the centuries and farmers realized the the Scottish Blackface, with its ability to survive and reproduce in adverse weather conditions was the best suited to utilize the hill and mountain grazing to their best advantage.
Scottish Blackface Sheep, also known as Scotties, Blackies, Highland Sheep, Blackface Sheep, are a medium sized, white wooled breed of sheep with black marked faces and legs. Both sexes have horns.
In Scotland, there are several regional variations in type which range from the large framed Perthshire with medium to heavy long wool to the lighter framed short wooled types, with the Newton Stewart type being the most refined and improved but no less hardy. Today many of these types are intermixed and variations can easily be seen in modern stock here in the United States.
They produce a white carpet quality wool that is strongly double coated, straight and fairly long. Within the breed there are 3 basic wool types with different staple lengths and degrees of fineness for use in carpet, mattress padding and weaving for the Harris Tweed® trade.
Scottish Blackface sheep are “Easy Care” and ewes lamb easily, quickly and, aided by the mothering of the attentive ewe, lambs are up and feeding in a very short time. The ewes are defensive of their lambs and develop a strong bond.
On marginal pasture, Scottish Blackface ewes produce mainly single lambs and under better conditions, twins are common with occasional triplets. The ewes are aggressive, milky, devoted mothers whose lambs are vigorous and extremely attractive. The lambs are naturally reared, symbolizing the purity and goodness of the land and has a reputation for its unrivaled sweet flavor and tenderness.
Scottish Blackface – Hardy, Thrifty, Strong Maternal Instinct.
Pasture Perfect – Lambs raised on grass!
–Scottish Blackface Breeders Union
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