Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/436358157187182/
To enable the breeders and those who support the Portland Sheep by using its products to work together for the conservation of the breed
Website: https://www.portlandsheep.com/
The Portland Sheep Breeders Group (PSBG) web site, where you will find information about our charming sheep, the friendly group who support them and so much more; we hope you find them useful and always welcome your feedback.
Overview
Source: https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/portland-sheep/
Portland sheep are one of the oldest breed of sheep in the UK. The Portland originated in the Island of Portland, not now strictly an island but a strip of land projecting into the English Channel from the southwest coast of England near Weymouth, Dorset.
The Portland Sheep is a small animal, the average adult ewe weighing 38-40 kg, compared with 60-80+ kg in a commercial breed. It is an attractive, hardy sheep, ideal for smallholders because of the size and thrifty grazing. An important quality of the breed is the ability to lamb out of season at any time of the year.
The legs are fine-boned with an even tan colour. The front and hind legs below the hock should be free from wool. The hooves should be uniformly dark, small and straight. The tail is long and set high on the rump. The face is a tan colour but may have lighter areas around the eyes and muzzle. The nose is dark. Some sheep have a light wool covering on the forehead but the rest of the face is free from wool. The horns are pale; those of the ram are heavily spiralled; in ewes they curve through a half circle. There is often a black line in one or both horns. Lambs are born with a foxy-red coat which changes in the first few months to a creamy white.
The wool is close and fine with characteristic red kemp (hair rather than wool) around the tail.
The breed produces exceptionally high-quality meat with fine texture and excellent flavour. The special flavour of the meat is due to the longer time it takes to mature and the recognition that it requires to be hung for a longer period to enhance that flavour and tenderness. Because the breed is naturally fine and lean, the meat needs careful butchering to present it at its best. It also benefits from slow cooking.
There are currently about 140 registered small flocks thriving in widespread parts of the UK, including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Although the breed is enjoying a revival, it is nevertheless classified by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) as Category 4 (at risk). A key problem for survival is lack of numbers; unlike most breeds whose ewes routinely produce twins, the Portland ewe produces only one lamb per season. Secondly, Portland lambs need a longer time to finish (i.e. to become mature enough for slaughter).
In 1993 the Portland Sheep Breeders’ Group was formed to promote the breed and to provide a forum for discussion among breeders. The Group operates under the auspices of the RBST. In 1997 it put into operation a Five-Year Programme with the aim of identifying facts about the breed and promoting its qualities. Annual events for breeders were organised, the first being a Ram Event in 1997, followed by Meat, Wool and History Events in subsequent years. The Group also holds workshops and displays at local agricultural shows.
Historical evidence reveals that the Island of Portland was home to an isolated farming community and a large flock of sheep at the time of the Domesday Book (1086). As communication with the mainland became more accessible, the quality of the meat became widely recognised. From the mid 1800s onwards, several major developments took place on the Island which severely affected farming and the survival of Portland sheep and by the early 1950s the breed was nearing extinction.
Examples of farms with Portland flocks
Roy’s Farm
https://www.roysfarm.com/portland-sheep/
Pigsmoor Farm, Somerset
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pigsmoor/
Julie Baber has this small farm in Somerset, where she raises traditional and rare breed sheep for meat and wool. She is also a contributing writer to the Sustainable Food Trust.
Tess Evans and Steve Gould – Steeptonbill Farm – Portland Sheep
https://www.steeptonbill.co.uk/
Slow Food UK is incredibly proud to have Ark of Taste producers like Tess Evans and Steve Gould from Steeptonbill Farm on board. Please read more about Tess and Steve and their forgotten food Portland Sheep below
How Tess and Steve got into producing Portland Sheep and why they chose this particular product
Located on the land overlooking the beautiful village of Milton Abbas; Steeptonbill Farm is nestled deep in the Dorset countryside, a perfect location for a 140 strong flock of Portland Sheep. In 2009 Tess Evans and Steve Gould moved their flock of Portland Sheep from the Fleet, near Portland, to Steeptonbill Farm with the aim of building a mixed livestock farm, with an emphasis on healthy, happy animals, reared naturally on the rolling hills of North Dorset. The sheep are allowed to graze freely on the grass surrounding the farm, rich with herbage of all kinds. Portland sheep are slow to mature, and so through careful observation and letting the sheep graze to their hearts content, Tess and Steve are able to guarantee the mutton and hogget produced has a flavour that is second to none.
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Other information
Portland Sheep and the Combined Flock Book
