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Historical Articles
SHEEP SAGA - THE NORTH
RONALDSAYS This unique breed now based principally on the most northerly of the Northern Isles of Orkney - North Ronaldsay (Map) - were common on the islands of Orkney and Shetland up to a century and a half ago. Their origins are uncertain, perhaps indigenous, perhaps introduced with the Norse colonies of more recent date. Certainly the appearance is not dissimilar to the Gottland breed although it has been suggested they are closely related to the prehistoric Palustris. Another similarity is with rare breeds of Asian arkhan sheep in Kazakhstan.
The colour originally showed great variety - white, grey, black, blue grey, "moorit" light reddish brown or tanay. However more recently with white wool In demand the coloured sheep tend to have been eaten more than the white, that is to say while there was still a reasonably, and relatively, large human population. Their blood group interestingly is Group B, that is to say prolific, allowing for deaths in years of adverse environmental conditions, unlike the hill breeds, say Scottish Blackface, who are Group A if pure, generally having single lambs and greater resistance to an adverse environment.
Generally there was, and is, plenty of seaweed available especially in the winter months when gales pile tangles on the shore by the ton, particularly south easterly gales tearing the Laminaria hyperborea (cloustoni) from its moorings in the depths of the sound between Sanday and North Ronaldsay which is 92% covered with deep water tangles (L. hyperboea 84%, L. saccharina around 16%). Strangely it is the winter when the North Ronaldsay sheep eat best, the carcases are at their prime in December. Other times of the year when the deep water tangles are less plentiful the sheep will wait for low water when the other seaweeds are exposed; Laminaria digitala grows in the shallows and can be grazed when the tide is out with some sheep even swimming to rocky outcrops to reach it sometimes with unfortunate results if inexperienced swimmers or caught by currents. Other known seaweeds, the Wracks, are less popular. Channelled Wrack (Pelvetia caniculata) and Flat Wrack (Fucus spiralis) may be nibbled when young likewise Bladder Wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and Knotted Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) but they are not as popular as the Laminariales and Alaria esculenta. On the other hand the red seaweeds like Pulse (Rhodymenia palinatta) are probably the tastiest of all but they are not large neither are they plentiful mainly appearing attached to the slipes of the Laminaria species.
The grazing habits also have had to change with the diet. Instead of grazing during the day and ruminating at night as other sheep generally do, the North Ronaldsays graze with the tides (twice in 24 hours) and ruminate between low water periods.
The sheep marks had to be recorded "on or before the first day of February next" in the Sheep book. The marks are made in the lambs' ears and are a language of their own. Here are some of the descriptions, the sheep being seen face on, marks on the left ear given first:- Bewan Thumb bit behind, three rips (stooed) Lochend Rip, stooed hemlin before Grind Shear, axe behind Parkhouse Four bits, three ripe North Manse Piece off and bit behind, three rips And so on for 67 crofts in 1934, alas many fewer today. A fascinating record just the same, part of a separate unique life woven around a separate unique breed. I became involved with it because of a problem arising when the native flock began to be dispersed away from North Ronaldsay in case some disaster - e.g. Foot and Mouth Disease, massive oil pollution - should wipe out the flock with the loss of a unique gene bank.
Dispersed flocks on islands like Linga Holm near Stronsay never had a copper poisoning problem because their diet was terrestrial herbage plus seaweed. This is but a glimpse of an enchanting breed. Their story goes on with new horizons in the exotic breeds market, the exotic wools trade and perchance the gourmet world. It has been a rare and delightful privilege to have been involved with them. Long may they continue. Note See
Also |
First Published in Caithness Field Club
Bulletin October 1988 Recent pictures from Jane and Peter of A Yarn For North Ronaldsay |