09/09/2025
On each month of the current year, we will introduce one of the sheep breeds raised in Finland. The breed introductions are part of the ongoing project for the development of mutton production.
Images depicting each breed are made by Sanna-Maaria Puustinen.
The images will be published in the project's repository. The contents of the repository are available for public use.
The first breed introduced is the Finnsheep.
The Finnsheep is a medium-sized, solid-coloured polled sheep breed. It is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep breeds. With Finnsheep-based mutton production it is possible to have fresh lamb available for markets year-round.
The Finnsheep's early ancestors arrived in Finland around the end of the Neolithic period. Currently it is the most common breed of sheep in the country. The most common colour is white; other possible colours include brown, black and rarely grey. The Finnsheep is lively, alert and friendly; it is easy to handle and has a strong herd instinct.
The Finnsheep's reproductive capability is unique, even on a global level. Finnsheep fertility is not dependent on the seasons, and probability of fertilisation is high. Average litter size is 2.5 lambs. Maintenance costs relative to production by total weight of lambs are low, due both to large litters and to ewes remaining fertile for a long time.
The Finnsheep is well suited for both organic and high-yield production. The breed's good ability to process roughage supports the animal's natural behaviour as well as productivity. Fully grown ewes weigh between 65 and 75 kg on average, rams between 85 and 105 kg, and lambs an average of 3.7 kg at the age of 3 days.
On average, the lambs are slaughtered at the age of 7-8 months with a slaughter weight of 18 kg. The majority receive the EUROP classification O2 with a 225 g average daily growth rate. As tendency towards fattening is low, a large proportion of concentrated feed can be used during the lambs' growth period. This allows slaughter weight to be reached at the age of six months, with an average growth rate of 300 grams per day. This yields a 20 kg slaughter weight with an EUROP grading of O2.
Finnsheep wool is typically medium fine. Pelts are soft and shiny; many wool types exist in the breed for the production of attractive pelts.
Information repository:
www.lammasyhdistys.fi/materiaalipankki
Mutton production development project:
https://www.aitomaaseutu.fi/hankkeet/lammasketju
