Our Gotland – Gute sheep

I have been researching the Gotland Pelt sheep for several months now and in my research have been fascinated by the ancestry of this breed, the Gute.

I talk about the Gute in my page on the ancestry of our flock a little and now that one of our flock are showing signs of having some links back to the Gute, I am keen to explore this avenue further.

Below are pictures of the flock and of Bob, as we’ve named him – a wether – with the traits mentioned under the pictures.

These pictures of Bob suggest that he could have genes relating to the Gute. His father – Otahu pictured next to the original Gute from Gotland suggests that the genes from this ram have produced an offspring with similar traits to the original Gute breed.

1. the gute had horns whereas the Gotland are Polled sheep (are breed with no horns)
2. the gute have three types of fleece; long guard hair, shorter summer coat and a soft down coat grown in the winter.
3. Bob exhibits the horns and has a triple fleece.

If this sheep does have the gene back to the Gute, then the fleece from this sheep could be exceptional. We will keep the fleece separate at shearing to test and spin up according to the properties it suggests; ie for weaving – using the guard hair fleece, and for soft garments – using the cream undercoat.

Pictures will be posted at shearing time on Bob’s fleece. This will be about November 2019.