finn

Finnish Landrace Sheep, commonly known as Finnsheep, were originally imported from Finland in order to improve reproductive characterisitcs in U.S. flocks. Many of today's modern breeds trace back to Finnsheep genetics. Today's North American Finnsheep are not purebreds as the North American strains were developed using crossbreeding methods designed to increase production and enlarge the gene pool. Due to the use of Finnsheep in this manner, many of the true Finn attributes have been lost and can only be found in Finland, which does have genetically pure strains. In 1999, Finnsheep genetics were imported into the United States from Finland in order to farther refine the breed however, additional imports of genetics have been limited due to regulation. The breeding program at TrimburField Farm is focused on clearly defining the true traits and characteristics of the Finnsheep breed and merging them with the needs of the market to produce a superior, versatile breeding stock animal that can be competitively situated in a variety of markets allowing the breeder maximum potential for profit.

How does a potential breeder select outstanding stock? First, a buyer should evaluate the following characteristics of each prospect: 1) Conformation: Quality Finnsheep will posses a strong, balanced topline and a properly set on head, neck and shoulder that allow for proper movement. The head should be free of wool, the eyes bright and alert, the jaw straight and correct and, since the breed is naturally polled, no horns. There should be a good "spring of the ribs" and the legs and joints should be straight and correct. Rams should posses a strong hindquarter for breeding and ewes should have a wider hip to facilitate easy birthing. Finnsheep have a very characteristic short tail (4 to 6 inches depending on size) that is covered with wool at the top and hair towards the tip. Their short tails have a hair tip and are not docked.

Wool: Finn wool is classfied as Medium-Fine and ranges from 23 to 31 microns with the high-quality wool being in the 23-25.5 micron range. The wool is very unique for its wool class and has a very high lustre and extremely soft hand. Crimp should be very well-defined (7-12 crimps/inch depending on color) and the fleece should be low in lanolin content. This provides a higher yield percentage weight than higher grease weight wools. Wool is one of the characterisitcs that make Finnsheep so very versatile and should be a prime consideration when selecting stock. Top-quality Finn wool that is properly prepared brings premium prices in the hand-spinning and fiber arts markets and is well worth the investment.

Temperament: Finns are incredibly friendly and docile, making them a shepherd's joy to raise and handle. Any reputable breeder will cull any breeding stock that does not display the temperament that Finnsheep are known for. Temperament should always be an important consideration in the selection of any animal if human interaction is required. They are especially suited to young children!

Reproductive: While Finns are well-respected in this area, all areas should be considered as versatility is the breed's historic purpose. When considering the purchase of a ram for breeding, the following should be considered: Conformation and temperament of the ram; rams should posses a strong hindquarter to facilitate the breeding process and correct temperament makes handling of the ram easier and safer. A ram lamb should reach puberty between 4 and 6 months under proper nutritional circumstances and should show a strong desire to do his job. Ram "breeding equipment" should be well-developed to insure maximum fertility. When investing a large sum in a breeding ram, fertility and mobility tests are recommended. Ewes should also be well-conformed and posses a wide hip for easy birthing. Under ideal nutritional circumstances a ewe lamb can be bred at seven months. Finn ewes have a shorter gestational length than larger breeds and the will cycle for longer periods of time
than conventional breeds if kept in ideal nutritional circumstances. A Finn ewe, if properly managed should be able to produce enough milk to nurse three lambs without assistance. Most ewes lamb with ease if in good condition making the shepherd's job easier. We have found the ewes to be excellent, attentive mothers and they do a great job of raising their lambs.

A quality ewe will be able to raise her lambs to industry acceptable weaning weights for her breed without intensive supplementation of the lambs by the manager. It is not the number of lambs a ewe gives birth to that defines her overall reproductive quality, it is the number of lambs she can raise on her own (with proper nutrition for the ewe) to appropriate weaning weights. Her ability to pass on desirable traits should always be a prime consideration when assessing ewe quality.