Lincoln

The Lincoln is a big, dual-purpose longwool that comes from the fen and wold country of eastern England. A well-grown ram can top 113 kg (250 lb), putting the breed among the heaviest sheep kept anywhere. What sets it apart, though, is the fleece: long, lustrous locks that hang in ringlets and grow a longer staple than any other breed produces.

Keepers run Lincolns for wool, for meat, and for crossing onto other flocks. Hand spinners and fibre artists seek out the fleece for its sheen and length, British Wool grades it among the heaviest clips collected each season, and the deep frame gives a decent carcass besides. Breeders across the world, from Argentina to New Zealand, have used Lincoln rams to add bone and fleece weight to their own longwool crosses.

Temperament is where the breed wins most keepers over. Lincolns are unhurried and placid, settle around people without fuss, and rarely show the flightiness some hill breeds do. Keepers who want a steady, manageable flock rather than a nervous one find the Lincoln straightforward to run.

Who it suits

The Lincoln suits keepers with room and forage enough for a large sheep, and who want a heavy, high-value fleece rather than a low-maintenance flock. Smallholders and fibre enthusiasts manage the calm temperament without difficulty, though the size of the animal and the grooming a long fleece demands make it a poor fit for anyone after a hands-off flock.

The breed takes its name from Lincolnshire, the county of fen and wold in eastern England where long-woolled sheep had grazed the rich lowland pasture for centuries. These older Lincolnshire sheep were big, heavy-boned animals kept as much for mutton as for wool.

Agricultural improvers of the 1700s set about refining that old stock into something more consistent. Crossing with Robert Bakewell's improved Leicester tightened the conformation and lifted meat quality, while the long, heavy fleece was kept intact.

By the 1800s the Lincoln was an established breed and one of the most influential longwools of the era. Flock masters exported rams to Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, where breeders used them to add frame and fleece weight to local flocks and to found new crossbred types still farmed today.

The Lincoln is now a minority breed at home, and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust lists it among those needing continued support. It survives chiefly through pedigree breeders and fibre producers who keep the longwool tradition going, with the Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders' Association maintaining the flock book.

The Lincoln has a broad, rectangular frame set on short, sturdy legs. The head is bold with a wide muzzle, and both rams and ewes are normally polled. A forelock of wool falls forward over the face, a trait that marks the breed out at a glance. Altogether it gives the impression of a heavy, low-set sheep built to carry serious fleece weight.

Coat and colours

The fleece carries the breed. Wool grows in long, wavy locks with a strong lustre and can yield an annual clip of around 5.5 to 9 kg (12 to 20 lb), among the heaviest British Wool records each season. White remains the standard shade, but coloured Lincolns ranging from silver-grey through to near black are bred specifically for hand spinners after naturally pigmented fibre. Face and legs stay clean of wool, with the fleece concentrated over the body.

Lincolns carry an even, good-natured disposition that most keepers notice straight away. They move at their own unhurried pace and settle around people quickly, so shearing, routine handling, and health checks rarely turn into a fight. Unlike some of the hardier hill breeds, panic is not part of the Lincoln's repertoire.

Within the flock Lincolns graze quietly together and rely on each other's company, as sheep do; keeping them in groups rather than alone suits the breed best. Around handlers they lead well to a bucket of feed and tolerate routine fuss without objection. They stay placid around dogs and other stock too, though rams are large animals and deserve ordinary caution during tupping time. Taken as a whole, the breed ranks among the more manageable of the large sheep kept in Britain today.

Grooming

• Shear at least once a year; some keepers shear twice to keep the long staple manageable.
• Check the fleece regularly for matting, vegetable matter, and damp, especially over the back and rear end.
• Skirt and store fleeces with care when selling to hand spinners, since the wool carries most of the breed's value.
• Trim hooves on a regular schedule to head off overgrowth and foot trouble.

Exercise

• Provide plenty of grazing; Lincolns are heavy animals that need room to move and feed.
• Rotate pasture to keep forage quality up and cut parasite burden.
• Give daily access to open ground rather than close confinement.

Environment

Lincolns do well on lowland farms with good grass and reasonably dry going underfoot. The dense fleece offers real protection through cold, wet weather, but it also holds moisture, so clean, well-drained ground and dry shelter help keep skin and feet sound. Fencing needs to be properly stock-proof to hold a large, strong sheep.

As a large grazing breed, the Lincoln takes most of its nutrition from forage. Good grass through the growing season and quality hay over winter form the backbone of the diet. Because the animals are big and carry heavy fleeces, they need enough energy and protein to hold condition without running to fat. Concentrate feed suits periods of higher demand best rather than routine daily use.

Treats and supplements

Offer a sheep-specific mineral supplement and clean water at all times. Selenium and other trace elements may need topping up where local soils run short. Bring in any grain or lush new grass gradually to avoid digestive upset and bloat.

The Lincoln is a sturdy, long-lived sheep, typically reaching 10 to 12 years of age. Most health concerns trace back to the heavy fleece and large frame rather than any inherited weakness. Regular shearing, sound parasite management, and routine foot care keep the majority of Lincolns in good order.

Preventive care

• Shear annually and skirt the fleece to keep the wool clean.
• Trim hooves regularly and check feet for early signs of footrot.
• Keep a worming and grazing-rotation plan based on faecal egg counts.
• Vaccinate against clostridial disease on the advice of your vet.
• Provide the right minerals, keeping copper intake in check.

Lincolns reach breeding maturity at around 7 to 12 months, though most keepers hold ewes back until roughly 18 months so the large frame has time to fill out. Mating follows the season, generally in autumn, so lambs arrive with the spring grass. Gestation runs to about 145 to 150 days.

Litters usually run to one or two lambs; twins are common in ewes carrying good condition, while triplets turn up less often. Lincoln lambs are large at birth, so ewes need to be in good condition and watched closely at lambing time. Ewes generally mother well and milk adequately, and lambs grow on fast given the dam and decent pasture. Given the breed's size, careful selection alongside body-condition management keeps both lambing ease and growth rates on an even keel.