did not reach the island itself, nor the Calf, which continued exports of the meat to the continent of Europe. The breed is listed in the Ark of Taste, an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods that the global Slow Food movement maintains. Wool Craft spinners and weavers like the wool for its softness and rich brown colour. The crafters use the undyed material to produce woollens and tweeds. The wool from Jersey's flock of Loaghtans (see below) is sold locally. The Loaghtan's wool has a high coating of lanolin wax, also known as wool wax or wool grease. Warm weather makes the lanolin viscous, which aids shearing. Some speciality soap producers also use the lanolin as an ingredient in a mild soap. Jersey The Loaghtan is believed to be the closest surviving relative of the now extinct Jersey sheep. In 2008 the National Trust for Jersey began a programme of introducing Loaghtans into Jersey for coastal grazing, a traditional method of vegetation control in the north of Jersey. In 2014, two shepherds cared for a flock that had grown from 20 to 231 animals. Ecology There appears to be a link between the presence of Loaghtan sheep and the ability of the chough to thrive. Studies on Ramsey Island, Bardsey Island, and the Isle of Man have found that as the number of grazing sheep fell, so did the number of breeding choughs; when sheep grazing increased, so did the number of breeding choughs. This appears to be happening on Jersey as well. As the Loaghtans graze, they crop and trample the grass. This enables the birds to reach surface-active and soil insects. Also, the dung the sheep leave draws beetles and fly larvae. These insects in turn are a resource for the birds when the ground is hard or other insects are scarce. See also Castlemilk Moorit Hebridean sheep Icelandic sheep Jacob sheep Rare breed (agriculture) Notes and citations Notes Citations External links Manx Loaghtan Breeders' Group website BBC: Farming the Manx Loaghtan sheep Mammals of Europe Sheep breeds Products with protected designation of origin Animal breeds originating in the Isle of Man Animal breeds on the RBST Watchlist