The following data from the U. S. Meat Animal Research Center at Clay Center, NE in 1972 illustrates that Finn cross market lambs have growth rate and cutability equal to other crosses not involving Finnsheep. Information was obtained on 207 lambs.

BREED	154-DAY WEIGHT (LBS)	ADG	BONELESS LEAN MEAT
Rambouillet	118	0.74	21.4
Finn X Rambouillet	113	0.71	20.6
Dorset	104	0.65	20.2
Finn X Dorset	120	0.74	21.8
Targhee	115	0.74	21.4
Finn X Targhee	111	0.70	21.4
Corriedale	112	0.74	19.3
Finn X Corriedale	109	0.73	20.9

WOOL TRAITS

Finnsheep are free of wool on the head, legs and udder (in some cases they are milked). The wool is fine, free of guard hairs and unusually lustrous and available in every color of the sheep rainbow.

Colored Finnsheep are registered. Finns are often shorn twice a year as their fleece grows quickly. The yield is high, losing only 30% in scouring. Although the fleeces are relatively light, around 6 lbs annually, the high spinning count (around 58's or 26 microns and luster make it extremely attractive to handspinners

MANAGING FINNS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE

Obviously ewes that are expected to produce average litters of three to five lambs cannot be fed the same as ewes that are expected to produce one or 1.5 lambs per lambing. Better nutrition must be provided during gestation and lactation.

Ewe lambs that will be bred at six or seven months old should weigh around 100 lbs prior to breeding. Since these ewe lambs are expected to grow and reproduce at the same time, they must be given extra feed and care.

A purebred Finn flock with high lambing percentages will have many lambs that will require supplementary feeding if they remain with the dam or they may be artificially reared. Finn lambs on milk replacer can be weaned at about five weeks old if they have had access to soy bean meal creep feed from their first week of life. Artificially reared Finn lambs are as healthy and growthy as those raised on their dams.

Finnsheep photos courtesy of Elizabeth Luke, Stillmeadow Finnsheep.