Gotland Pelt rare breed sheep during lambing

Video of my Gotland Pelt rare breed sheep flock during lambing in September 2010.

The Goltand Pelt first arrived in New Zealand in the 1980s and was released from quarantine in 1990. It originated on the large Baltic island of Gotland which comes under Swedish rule. It is kept almost entirely for its fleece which is extremely soft, silvery-grey, and curly. Its face and legs are black. The Gotland is very hardy and has good fertility. The lambs are born jet black and were originally slaughtered for their skins when only a few months old - hence the name, Gotland Pelt.

Less than a thousand can be found in New Zealand.

Gotland sheep are quiet, friendly and inquisitive, making them easy to manage and fun to work with. They are easy to handle in a small flock without using dogs. Once they are used to having people wandering through the flock, the rams will come up for a "cuddle", on their terms. The ewes are somewhat more cautious, particularly with lambs at foot. Gotlands have short, hair-tipped tails and do not require crutching. Their slender, well spaced, upright black legs (occasionally with white markings) and black head, free from wool (that may also have white markings).

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Pets & Animals

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• gotland
• pelt
• rare
• breed
• sheep
• lambing
• lambs
• spring
• ewes