Lincoln
Animal identity
One living story. Knowledge kept together.
Wind Valley 1718, Grand Champion Lincoln Ewe at the 2018 Keystone International Livestock Exposition. · Keystone International · CC BY 2.0 · License terms
Recognize what makes this population itself.
Large body size, long wool, and a generally calm disposition characterize the breed. The Conservancy describes suitability for cool climates and good maternal ability. Its fleece offers a clear comparison with fine-wool, hair-sheep, and Downs populations.
Appearance introduces the animal; a registry standard explains a documented breeding population. A photograph, color or familiar informal name alone cannot establish every individual’s membership.
- Recorded roles
- Wool
- Adult Weight
- Rams: 225-300 lbs. Ewes: average 210 lbs.
- Temperament
- Docile
- Experience Level
- Intermediate
Reference values from the breed’s conservation profile. Weight describes a reference animal, not a universal feeding or fitness target. Temperament varies with breeding, individual experience and handling.
Why a long, lustrous fleece needs its own story
Lincoln sheep are large, deep-bodied English longwools. Their long, wavy fleece is part of their identity as well as the reason they influenced sheep breeding internationally. Both sexes are polled, and a broad head with an open face helps distinguish the animal beneath the wool.
The Conservancy reports approximately twelve inches of annual wool growth and fleeces around twelve to sixteen pounds. Rams are described at 225–300 pounds, with ewes averaging about 210 pounds. These are reference descriptions, not feeding goals or a requirement that every animal meet an average.
White and naturally colored Lincolns both have fiber value. The Conservancy notes different registration treatment of colored animals in Britain and the United States. Our interpretation is that readers should follow the relevant flock book rather than assume one country’s practice defines every population. The breed’s large size and slow maturation also belong in the story: spectacular wool comes from a living animal whose nutrition, development and management matter.
Sources for general species learning
Sources behind the breed’s story.
The original history, identity and conservation teaching above draws on these cited accounts. Official links open the full material for further study.
Keep learning from official information.
These research portals help locate further material. A search link is a route for exploration; it is separate from the sources used for the article above. Domestic breed information, wild-species assessment, historical books and new research need their own context.
- FAO DAD-IS · Domestic breed information
- IUCN Red List · Species assessments
- Biodiversity Heritage Library · Historical literature search
- USDA National Agricultural Library · Research search
- Google Scholar · Scholarly literature search
- Open Library · Book catalogue search
- HathiTrust · Digitized catalogue search