Bowmont Sheep

This breed emerged in the 1980s when the Macauley Land Use Research Institute in Scotland’s Bowmont Valley crossed Saxon Merino sheep with Shetland. The idea was to produce a hardy breed for the Scottish climate, but with a good fleece to give a dual (meat and fleece) income for Scotland’s hill farmers.
Although the fleece was good, the breed was not taken up by farmers and there are now only a few hundred true Bowmonts left. The finest fleece, white with an excellent crimp and an average staple of 3-5 inches, has a 17-21 micron count and comes from sheep with more Merino, about 75%, than Shetland. The Bowmont we use comes from both Scotland and Wales and generally has an 18-22 micron count.