This required understanding. A sheep has only two years, and yet the variations of cutting her ears to distinguish ownership is really quite amazing. People here would know right away when they heard the description of the ears to whom a straying sheep belonged.
| Bàrr |
Tip of the ear has been removed |
| Bàrr na cluais dheis |
Tip of the ear has been removed on the right ear |
| Beum |
Part of the ear’s edge is missing from one side only |
| Beum àrd |
|
| Beum ìosal |
|
| Cladhan |
Two vertical slits to the top of the ear, leaving you three bits |
| Cluas bhiorach |
A slice from each side of the top of the ear |
Cluas bhon a’ chlaigean
Comharrachadh a’ mheàrlaich |
The ear is taken off close to the head - disreputable because it could eliminate others’ ear marks. |
| Crocan |
A cut on the side of the ear - always at an angle |
| Gearradh |
Horizontal cut out of the side of the ear |
| Gearradh foipe |
A cut on the low side of the ear |
| Gearradh os a cionn |
A cut on the top side, near the horn |
| Glanadh |
A fork in the tip of the ear. In some places, although not in Staffin, the glanadh is called a smeorach because it’s like a bird’s open beak |
| Iuchar |
A triangle on either side of the ear |
| Iuchar fon a' chluas |
|
| Iuchar os cionn a' chluas |
|
| Sgoltadh |
A vertical slit, perhaps half way down the middle of the ear |
| Slisinn |
One side of the ear taken away |
| Toll |
A round hole within the ear |
The left ear may be referred to as cluas chearr, cluas thaisgear or cluas chlì and the right ear may be referred to as cluas dheas or cluas cheart.
