Soay

Soay sheep are small, primitive sheep from Soay, an island in the St Kilda archipelago off western Scotland. They are often described as close in appearance to early domestic sheep: light-boned, short-tailed, quick, and usually brown with pale belly, muzzle, and eye markings. Black, light tan, and patterned animals also occur. Rams commonly have horns, and ewes may be horned, scurred, or polled. Their fleece is short and sheds naturally in many individuals, giving them a very different look from improved wool or meat breeds.

People keep Soays for heritage flocks, low-intensity grazing, and small conservation projects, while free-living St Kilda sheep have been important in long-term field research on population ecology. They are not high-output farm sheep and can be wary in close handling, so calm facilities and good fencing matter. The breed usually does best on modest forage, with extra feed reserved for hard weather, thin ewes, or late pregnancy. Selection in managed flocks often balances primitive type, horn safety, mothering ability, and enough tameness to make welfare checks, shearing or rooing, and veterinary treatment possible.

Colors: Badgerface, Black, Blackbelly, Brown, Dark Brown, Gray, Gulmoget, Katmoget, Light Tan, Moorit, Piebald, Red, Silver, Spotted, Tan, White, White with Black Points, White with Brown Points