page_title: Leicester Longwool
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Leicester Longwool / History
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Leicester Schur-Widder des Herrn Stone, 40 Monate alt, erhielt den ebenfalls 30 Pfd. Sterl.
context_page_description: The Leicester Longwool is an English breed of sheep. Alternative names for the breed include: Leicester, Bakewell Leicester, Dishley Leicester, English Leicester, Improved Leicester and New Leicester. It was originally developed by 18th-century breeding innovator Robert Bakewell.
  It is now one of Britain's rarest breeds, categorised as "endangered" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, since fewer than 500 registered breeding females remain in the United Kingdom.
context_section_description: Leicester Longwool sheep date back to the 1700s, and were found in the Midland counties of England, originally developed in Dishley Grange, Leicestershire by Robert Bakewell. Bakewell was the foremost exponent of modern animal-breeding techniques in the selection of livestock. 
  The Leicester Longwool in the 1700s was slow-growing and coarsely boned. They now have been developed to gain weight quickly and are fast-growing.
  Leicester Longwool was one of the first pure sheep breeds introduced to Australia, having been introduced in 1826.
  The Leicester Longwool has been used to improve many sheep breeds because of its meaty carcase (carcass) and heavy fleece. It is one of the few truly pure breeds.
caption: Leicester ram at the 1843 Royal Agricultural Show in Derby
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