The North American Shetland herd has a much more recent history. On December 6, 1980 twenty eight purebred Shetland ewes and 4 rams arrived at Cambridge, Ontario. The regulations and testing required to allow the sheep into Canada made it a difficult task. These Shetlands were required to remain on a lifelong quarantine on the Dailley farm, and no progeny could leave the farm until 5 years after their birth. Number estimates of the North American herd are some where around 8,000 sheep.

Shetland sheep are the smallest member of the British sheep breeds. Mature ewes range from about 75 to 100 pounds; mature rams range from 90 to 125 pounds. They should be fine boned with an alert nimble carriage. Rams are horned, while ewes are usually hornless. The rams horns are rounded, rise in a curve above the head and begin to spiral as they age. The short fluke shaped tail averages 4 to 6 inches in length. Tail length is a good tool in judging the purity of the breed. Any cross breeding will readily show up in the tail length and shape. Tails do not require any docking or other alterations. While Shetlands appear to be small, delicate animals, underneath all that wool the sheep are well muscled, nimble, quick, and possess great strength. They are adaptable and hardy sheep. They have a natural hardiness that is virtually unknown in modern sheep breeds. The sheep will spend the winter happily outdoors through even on the coldest nights. It's not uncommon to wake up in the morning to find the sheep covered in snow. It can really drive the modern shepherd up the wall not understanding why they do not seek out their shelter. Shetlands are very efficient and do not require expensive feed pellets, rich pastures or top quality hay. The ewes are excellent mothers, lambing problems are rare. The lambs are born at 4 to 8 pounds. Twining usually occurs in older ewes.

The hardest part of all when describing Shetland sheep is fleece define. Shetland sheep have an amazing variety of wool types to choose from. Shetland wool is some of the finest among the UK breeds. It is soft, strong and durable, and delightful to spin. The finest of the Shetland yarns, spun from neck wool, are knit into fine lace shawls to be drawn through a bride’s wedding ring. No matter what type of woolen project the Shetland will have a fleece to suit it. Shetland wool comes in one of the widest ranges of colors of any sheep breed. The wool comes in 11 different recognized natural colors, from pure white to deep coal black. Shetlands are one of the few breeds with a true black fleece. This black is so dramatic it requires no overdying. There are 30 different markings patterns, many still bearing their Shetland dialect names. Unfortunately, many of these colors and markings have become quite rare as white wool is dominant and has historically commanded better prices. The fleece is generally in the 20 to 30 micron range (Bradford count of 54 to 66). Some fleeces have a higher degree of crimp that others. Staple lengths run 2 to 6 inches. Grease content should average around 20%. The differences in Shetland fleece styles can only be viewed with excitement from a fiber artists perspective. Fleeces usually weigh between 2 to 4 pounds, but 5 and 6 pound fleeces are not uncommon.

Shetland sheep lend themselves well to smaller farms and acreages. They are generally a calm, docile, easy to manage breed. I have found their personalities to be a cross between a good dog and a goat. Many are very friendly and will come running to the gate for a scratch. Some even wag their tail in appreciation. Rams, no matter how tame they appear, are still livestock and should always be treated with respect.