The Manx Loaghtan ( ) is a rare breed of sheep (Ovis aries) native to the Isle of Man. It is sometimes spelled as Loaghtyn or Loghtan. The sheep have dark brown wool and usually four or occasionally six horns.
The Manx Loaghtan is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep breeds, and descends from the primitive sheep once found throughout Scotland, the Hebrides, and Shetland Islands. The word Loaghtan comes from the Manx words lugh dhoan, which mean mouse-brown and describe the colour of the sheep.
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust characterised the Loaghtan as "at risk" until 2025 when it was elevated to “priority” status owing to declining numbers. By the 1950s there were only 43 surviving specimens. Manx National Heritage developed two healthy flocks. These have given rise to commercial flocks on the Isle of Man, United Kingdom and Jersey. Even so, today there are still fewer than 1,500 registered breeding females.
Appearance
thumb|right|A Manx Loaghtan at [[Butser Ancient Farm]]
The Manx Loaghtan is a small sheep, with no wool on their dark brown faces and legs. The sheep have short tails and are fine-boned. In the past century the sheep's colour has stabilised as "moorit", that is shades between fawn and dark reddish brown, though the colour bleaches in the sun. Manx Loaghtan usually have four horns, but individuals are also found with two or six horns. The horns are generally small on the ewes but larger and stronger on the males. An adult female weighs about 40 kg, and an adult male weighs around 60 kg.
Products
Meat
The Loaghtan is farmed for its meat on the Isle of Man, with only two principal farms on the island producing it. There are now many holdings on the UK mainland that also breed Loaghtans, including some farms with over 100 ewes: for example the Fowlescombe Flock in Devon. This gourmet meat is highly prized, often being sold as hogget or mutton from well-finished animals. A 15-month-old will yield a carcass of 18 kg of lean meat. In 2014, two shepherds cared for a flock that had grown from 20 to 231 animals. The wool from Jersey's flock of Loaghtans is sold locally.