Devon Closewool

The Devon Closewool is a British breed of domestic sheep. It is distributed almost exclusively on Exmoor in North Devon, in south-west England.^{[6][7]: 296} It is raised primarily for meat.^[2]

Devon Closewool

Conservation status	FAO (2007): not at risk[1]: 120  DAD-IS (2021): at risk[2] RBST (2021–2022): at risk[3]
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Distribution	North Devon
Traits
Weight	Male: 80–100 kg[4][5] Female: 55–62 kg[4][5]
Wool colour	white
Face colour	white
Horn status	naturally polled
Sheep Ovis aries

History

The Devon Closewool was developed in the second half of the nineteenth century by cross-breeding native Exmoor ewes with Devon Longwool rams.^[8]: 797 The oldest known flock dates from 1894.^[8]: 797 A breed society – the Devon Closewool Sheep Breeders' Society – was formed in 1923, and a flock-book was started in the same year.^[4] By 1950 there were close to 230 000 head.^[9] In 2009 total breed numbers were estimated to be 5 000. Of these, about 95% were distributed within an area in North Devon some 100 km across, coinciding approximately with the extent of Exmoor;^[7]: 296 about 75% are within 20 km of the mean centre of distribution.^[8]: 797

Characteristics

The Devon Closewool is of medium size, ewes weighing up to about 62 kg and rams up to 100 kg. It is solidly built, with strong legs.^[5] It is naturally polled in both sexes, white-woolled and white-faced, with black nostrils and short ears.^[5] The fleece is dense and of medium length and staple.^[4] It is a hardy grassland breed, well suited to grazing on the grasslands and heaths of the uplands of its area of distribution.^[8]: 797

Use

The Devon Closewool is reared for meat and for wool.

On lowland grass, lambs may be ready for slaughter at between twelve and sixteen weeks, when they yield a dressed carcase weight of about 18–21 kg; on upland grazing they may take up to twenty-four weeks to reach the same weights.^[5] Ewes have good maternal qualities, and a lambing percentage of some 150–160%.^[8]: 797 Ewes may be put to rams of a terminal breed such as the Suffolk or Texel to produce cross-bred lambs; these grow fast and quickly reach slaughter weight.^[8]: 797 Ewes may also be put to ram of a breed such as the Blue-faced Leicester to produce more prolific cross-bred "mule" ewes;^[5] this is however uncommon.^[8]: 797

Ewe fleeces weigh some 3–4 kg, those of rams 5–6 kg.^[8]: 797 The wool is dense and of medium length; staple length is 100–150 mm, fibre diameter is approximately 35 μm.^[10] It is used for carpets^[10] or for tweeds and hosiery.^[8]: 797