Border Leicester

---

One of the old British long wool breeds, the Border Leicester was imported from England to Canada in the mid-nineteenth century. The Border Leicester along with the Oxford became the dominant breeds of the early Canadian sheep industry. The emphasis on meat production after the 1950's caused Leicester numbers to decline. However, the Leicester line is present in many of the modern breeds and it remains an excellent maternal breed for producing lambs on pasture. The ewes are moderately prolific, good milkers and lamb easily. They are a forage based sheep and do not have a heavy protein requirement. Traditionally, they subsisted on pasture, hay and a light ration of oats. A Leicester ram is often used with Down breeds to produce an F1 ewe with good mothering ability and moderate prolificacy. (Courtesy CSBA)