Sheep Natural Colors

If you are interested in naturally-colored sheep and their wool, the Natural Colored Wool Growers Association invites you to become a member of our ever.

Sheep can come in a number of different shades of various colors including white, black, red, cream, gray, and brown. They can be solid or have an interesting pattern of colors on their coats of wool or hair. It really all depends on their breed, bloodline, and genetics.

Natural colored (non-white) fleece colors appear in many breeds of sheep, although over millennia, in many breeds, sheep with colored wool have been selected against, as the goal was to produce uniform white fleeces for commercial use.

There are eleven main whole colours in Shetland sheep, with many shades and variants in between. The eleven whole colours are shown in the images below, which are taken from photographs by the late Dr. SHU Bowie. There are two samples of Shaela because of differing meanings in different parts of the Shetland Isles.

There are at least six primary sheep colors, from brown to red to cream to gray. Some sheep have multiple colors (a white body and black head, for example).

Natural colored (non-white) fleece colors appear in many breeds of sheep, although over millennia, in many breeds, sheep with colored wool have been selected against, as the goal was to produce uniform white fleeces for commercial use.

The image of a fluffy white sheep grazing peacefully in a green field is iconic. But how many of us have stopped to consider the true diversity of sheep colors? Beyond the classic white, a vibrant spectrum of hues adorns the woolly coats of these gentle creatures. Understanding the range of sheep colors not only reveals the fascinating world of genetics and animal breeding but also sheds light.

Bersugget - irregular patches of different colors; variegated. Bielset - having a complete circular band of different color around neck. Bioget - with white back and darker sides and belly, or conversely. Blaeget - having a lighter shade on the outer part of the wool fiber, especially in moorit and dark brown sheep.

Some British breeds naturally produce coloured fleeces used, without dye, for their special effects. Including Herdwick, Jacob and Shetland.

There are eleven main whole colours in Shetland sheep, with many shades and variants in between. The eleven whole colours are shown in the images below, which are taken from photographs by the late Dr. SHU Bowie. There are two samples of Shaela because of differing meanings in different parts of the Shetland Isles.

If you are interested in naturally-colored sheep and their wool, the Natural Colored Wool Growers Association invites you to become a member of our ever.

My interest in sheep color genetics started when our first lambs hit the ground in 1999. We bred our ewes to a moorit (brown--see color terms for definitions of color genetics terms as I use them.) ram and had six moorit lambs, apparently. But on closer observation, Shaltz Farm Allana had nearly white wool at the skin under brown tips, when she was born. Needless to say, Allana was a puzzle. I.

Sheep can come in a number of different shades of various colors including white, black, red, cream, gray, and brown. They can be solid or have an interesting pattern of colors on their coats of wool or hair. It really all depends on their breed, bloodline, and genetics.

The Shetland sheep, originating from the Shetland Islands of Scotland, is a notable example, displaying various natural colors including multiple shades of brown, often referred to as "moorit" (reddish-brown) or "dark brown". Shetland wool can also be found in lighter brownish-grey shades like "musket" or "mioget" (yellowish-brown).