Hampshire Down
It is best to keep the Hampshire Down at not to rich meadows.
This breed
Short History
Origin
Superior Characteristics
The Profile
Hampshire Down in Holland
Secretary of the Dutch Hampshire Down Studbook
Dutch dairy farms keep lots of different sheep. Of course you will find a lot of the Dutch Texel sheep. But if you look around you will also notice that a lot of foreign breeds are kept in Holland. You can find a lot of sheep of British, French or Scandinavian origin. They all are brought together into FBS, the Federation of Foreign Sheep associations in the Netherlands. One of these British breed is the well known Hampshire Down.
Short history
Developed in the county of Hampshire, England, during the nineteenth century, through the crossing of Southdown rams with ewes of the old Wiltshire Horn and Berkshire Knot breeds. It was fixed as a breed in 1889, and called the Hampshire Down.
The Hampshire Down was firmly established in Hampshire and Wiltshire grazing on arable
land. The breed has a great ability to adapt to various environments.
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Origin
John Twynam, a Hampshire farmer, crossed his then Hampshire flock with Cotswold rams in around 1829. The resultant half-bred rams were compact and blocky animals and from around 1835 were sold into six or more of what were to become the first recognised pedigree Hampshire Down flocks in the United Kingdom.
The Southdowns had long had sheep which had dark brown or black legs, matured early, produced the best of mutton and a fine quality of medium wool. The original Hampshire was larger, coarser, but hardier, slower to mature, with inferior flesh, and a longer but coarser wool. The Southdown had always been remarkable for its power of transmitting its special characteristics to its progeny by other kinds of sheep, and hence it soon impressed its own characteristics on its progeny by the Hampshire. The horns of the original breed have disappeared; the face and legs have become dark, the frame has become more compact, the bones smaller, the back broader and straighter, the legs shorter, and the flesh and wool of better quality, while the superior hardiness and greater size, as well as the large head and Roman nose of the old breed, still remain. Hampshires of the 1890s matured early and fattened readily. They clipped from six to seven pounds of wool, suitable for combing, which was longer than Southdown wool, but less fine.
The resultant mutton had a desirable proportion of fat and lean, and was juicy and fine flavoured; the lambs were large and were usually dropped early and fed for market. Indeed, the Hampshire may be considered a larger and trifle coarser and hardier Southdown. The breed was occasionally crossed with Cotswolds, when it produced a wool more valuable for worsted manufacturers than the pure Cotswold. There is little doubt that in addition to Southdown, the Hampshire has a dash of Cotswold blood in its composition. Considerable importations of the breed were made to the US in the 18th century, but it did not become so popular as the Southdown and some other English breeds.
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SUPERIOR CHARACTERISTICS
The Hampshire Down is docile, easy to manage and suited to flocks both large and small.
The Hampshire Down owes its origins from the crossing of the Wiltshire Horn and the
Berkshire Knot with infusions of Southdown. From the 1830s to 1850s the breed type
gradually became established and by 1911, almost 200,000 ewes were registered. The
breed was of extraordinary economic importance in the South of England with a very
large number of farms, particularly on the lighter soils, relying on folded flocks of
Hampshire Downs to provide fertility for subsequent arable crops. The flock was also a
valuable cash crop in its own right, by the sale of fat lambs, cull ewes, wool and pedigree
breeding stock.
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The Profile
Head: Face and ear a rich brown colour, approaching black, well covered with wool over the poll and forehead. Intelligent, full bright eye. Ears set well on, fairly long and slightly curved. In rams a bold masculine head is essential.
Neck and Shoulders: A strong, muscular neck, not too short, well placed on gradually sloping and closely fitting shoulders.
Carcass: Deep and symmetrical with the ribs well sprung, a broad straight back, flat loins, full dock, wide rump, deep and heavily developed legs of muscle and red meat.
Legs and Feet: Strongly jointed and powerful legs of the same colour as face, set with balance, the hocks and knees not bending towards each other. Feet sound and short in hoof, and not weak in pasterns.
Wool: White of moderate length, close and fine texture extending over the forehead and belly, the scrotum of rams being well covered. Suggested wool diameter: 26-30 microns. The fleece should contain no black fibre.
Skin: Pink or blue, and flexible.
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Hampshire Down in Holland
The Dutch Hampshire Down Studbook has aproximatively 350 members and its goals are breeding a good sheep that meet the standards.
From time to time Dutch breeders visit British colleagues for reasons of exchanging experiences.
The last couple of years some best ewes and rams were brought over from England to Holland to improve the Dutch flocks.
Every year British judges are coming over to Holland to judge at our shows.
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Secretary Dutch Hampshire Down Studbook
If you want to know more about the Dutch Hampshire Downs, please contact the studbook's secretary.
Secretary: Harry Westerink, Harderwijkerweg 480, 8077 RM Hulshorst, the Netherlands, phone: +31-341-451283.
E-mail: Harry Westerink.
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