Finnsheep

The Finnsheep, or Finnish Landrace, is the most prolific sheep breed of any commercial significance. Triplets are ordinary, quadruplets are common, and litters of five and six are recorded.

They came to North America through Canada in 1966 and were used immediately as a source of prolificacy for composite breeds, including the Polypay.

They are small, fine boned, short tailed, and come in white and in natural colours. Ewes lamb early, milk well for their size, and are attentive mothers, which they need to be.

The fleece is soft and takes dye well.

The trade is exactly the prolificacy. Large litters mean small lambs, supplementary feeding, and a ewe carrying a load that will pull her down if she is not fed for it. A Finnsheep flock managed casually will lose lambs, and the breed is usually better used as a fraction in a cross than as a purebred flock.