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What Are Soay Sheep?

The Soay is one of the rarest breeds of domestic sheep in North America. It comes from the tiny uninhabited island of Soay in the North Atlantic archipelago of St. Kilda west of Scotland. It is thought by many to be the remnant of a semi-domestic sheep brought to Great Britain prior to the invasion of the Romans. No one is certain of its origins, but it has lived in isolation for a thousand years or more, its evolution driven by its environment and not by man. It is one of Great Britain’s oldest surviving livestock breeds, an ambling archive of the history of domestic sheep.

The Soay is small, about 22” tall at the shoulder, it has a narrow build with long legs, weighs between 45 and 80 pounds on average and has a naturally short tail. It sheds its wool annually, one of its most primitive characteristics. As a browser it thrives on land often considered too marginal for more modern breeds and it is used in both the UK and the US for conservation grazing. It especially enjoys a wide range of woody plants as well as grass and forbs. Its dark wool, while short, is prized by hand spinners for its novelty and softness. The Soay’s greatest value, however, is the wide diversity of its genetics and it is for this reason it is being conserved for future generations of farmers. Because of this diversity it is hardier than many modern breeds and is prized for its relatively low maintenance requirements. It is an ideal livestock animal for beginners, small homesteaders and organic/hobby farms.

For a PDF of this information click here.

For a brief history click here.

For Soay "How To" click here.