AN unusual "badger-faced" sheep breed makes its dbut at an inaugural show and sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on Friday, August 27.

Originating in the Friesland area of Holland, Zwartable sheep often run as a complementary enterprise to the dairy herd, with a minimum of management inputs.

Such is the case for 16-year-old twins Philip and James Mattinson, who now have 20 Zwartables in the Troutbeck flock they run with their parents, Frank and Margaret, alongside the dairy herd at Troutbeck Farm, Heads Nook, near Carlisle.

They are lining up some entries for the Carlisle sale which they hope will be well-supported by both buyers and sellers.

The farming-mad twins have just finished their GCSEs at school in Brampton and are working full time on the farm, where they also specialise in hens.

The Mattinsons lost their Rouge de l'Ouest flock in the foot-and-mouth cull and they decided to try the friendly Zwartable breed, buying their first two females from the Worcester sale in 2002, with a further three the following year.

"We missed the sheep following the cull, although we are concentrating on our pedigree Ayrshire herd of 110 milkers plus followers," said Mr Mattinson, who went out of milk production in 1989 in favour of a suckler herd. The sucklers were sold after foot-and-mouth and the dairy enterprise started.

Now the Zwartable flock will be expanded to about 40 ewes. "The Zwartables are a very easily managed sheep and very good mothers - one of our ewes this year reared triplet ram lambs without an ounce of cake," said Mr Mattinson.

The breed is attracting the commercial sheep farmer, with its maternal characteristics, good conformation and tight coat, but its striking black and white markings have also attracted interest from smallholders and hobby breeders.

A perfect Zwartable is black with a white blaze. The hind legs have white socks (also allowed on the front legs) and the tail, which is never docked, also has a white end.

In Italy and Poland the sheep are milked for cheese production, with lambs from the milky ewes often achieving a 500g daily live weight gain.

Bred pure for replacements, any surplus provides lean lamb and, crossed with a modern terminal sire, lean carcases can be taken to heavy weights without becoming over-fat.

Zwartable rams crossed with suitable hill or lowland breeds have the potential to produce a lengthy crossbred ewe favoured by quality lamb producers.

The fleece shades from black to brown are an ideal well-crimped staple of 27 microns.