What characteristic is typical of long wool breeds?

Long wool breeds are known for their high-yielding fleece, which is an important characteristic that distinguishes them from other breeds. These sheep produce a larger quantity of wool that is both long and lustrous, making it desirable for various textile applications such as carpets and coarse garments. This high fleece yield is crucial for farmers who focus on wool production, as it directly impacts profitability and sustainability in their operations.

In comparison, small fiber diameter is typically associated with finer wool breeds, adaptation to warm climates is more common in specific breeds that thrive in those environments rather than long wool breeds generally, and low muscle mass is not a characteristic associated with long wool breeds, which can have varied body conformation. Thus, high fleece yield stands out as the primary and distinguishing characteristic for long wool sheep breeds.