Farm working Dogs in New Zealand. 1. Breeds.

 

By Dr Clive Dalton

What's a breed?

The definition of a breed is often rather vague.  All you can say is that it's a group of animals with a common origin, that generally look similar.  It's really not very important to folk who want animals simply for their function - and that includes most shepherds and stock persons. 

Trouble starts with people who want animals for their looks and aesthetic traits.  Fortunately for people working stock - the show ring and breed society specifications have never influenced the farm dog.  Long may that be the way of things. 

The show ring has sadly been the cause of the loss of many working genes from some breeds - and this is a pity, as you never know when these could be needed in future.  We should have saved these working genes as frozen semen and embryos - a good idea far too late.

The Border Collie

Classical British Border Collie (Photo: Helen Brown)

This breed has been the foundation of most of the world's working dogs.  It originated from the English-Scottish border, this small, long-haired dog that "clapped" on it's belly while stalking stock, came to NZ with the early shepherds.   Selection for performance over time in New Zealand has changed it into an upstanding, long-legged and smooth-haired speedster.  It is not a barking dog except when excessively excited, and selection is firmly against this trait by dog trialists.  The instinct to grab and bite can be fairly strong and remains in some strains.  It was the final act to kill after the "stalk" in the primitive dog.

The NZ "eye" dog or "heading" dog does the bulk of speed gathering of stock and the quick-reaction close-quarter work such as shedding or catching sheep.  Border collies are mainly black and white although there are some black and tan strains and the occasional "blue merle", a gene associated with "wall" or pale blue eyes.  There are red (ginger) genes found and sometimes very white animals that are usually disliked.

NZ eye or heading dog

 However, border collies are now becoming popular as pets and are winning most obedience trials and agility tests.  This could be a threat to the farm working dog if these two strains separate and then get mixed up.  Not many shepherds want their dog to find their hankie or bring back a toy rabbit!  But fetching the paper from the gate is a useful trick some shepherds do teach their heading dogs though.

Border collies love to learn and there’s nothing wrong with teaching a working dog a few new tricks to keep its brain active.  Same principle applies to their owners.

The Huntaway

Typical huntaways

Huntaway x Beardie

 The Huntaway is truly "made in NZ" and is probably the best example in the world of an animal bred for performance alone, and not ruined by breed society rules and regulations!  A wonderful example of how to use a pool of genetic variation, out of which you select what is needed to do a specified task.  It's modern genetic theory used before such theory was worked out.

Huntaways come in many shapes and colours and there are there used to be three or four major strains.  They are big strongly-built dogs used for everything - heading (gathering by going round sheep), hunting (driving stock away from or towards the handler), forcing sheep by jumping on their backs, and handling all the hurly-burly work sheep yards and woolsheds.  They are all bred to bark (give noise).

Huntaways are mainly black and tan with variations of mainly black, and a ginger red colour.  These are genes clearly from their origins of border collie, beardie, fox hound, Labrador and goodness-knows what else!  Nobody today is concerned what went into the mix, but it would still be interesting to know how it was done.

(See blog on Huntaway)

The Beardie

Beardie

 Originated from Scotland where it would bark and gather sheep from bracken covered hills.  They were called "hunters" and this could be the origin of the Kiwi term "huntaway".  They are grey, white, and tan in colour and have long hair including a beard.  .  Great-natured, tireless dogs and despite their long hair, work well in heat.  They are better at hunting than heading and are always keen to bark.  They are very popular in dairy farms to bring cows in.

The Smithfield

A bit of a mystery dog, supposed to have come from the barking dogs used by drovers at Smithfield market in London.  The Australians have added confusion by calling Beardie-types "Smithfields".  The NZ Smithfield, if you can find one, is like a small conventional huntaway or beardie type, and sometimes has a naturally bobbed tail.  They look like small huntaways or handy dogs.

The NZ "handy" dog

These are great dogs that do everything!  It seems as if they are a strain of huntaway that some breeders have selected over time.   They are not a heading dog-huntaway cross, as these are generally disasters!  But they are varied in colour and mostly like huntaways.   Farmers comment that these old-fashioned dogs are now very hard to find, as dog trialists have selected for more specialist dogs and not the general-purpose dog so useful on farms for general-hands or less-experienced shepherds.  These dogs would definitely bring the paper from the gate.

The Kelpie

 

This is the Australian all-round working dog that has NO dingo in it!  Kelpie breeders get very upset if you mention dingos!  It's the Aussie huntaway and is supposed to have been selected from strains of Border Collies.  Very tough either black or chocolate-coloured dogs.  In NZ it would be used mainly for cattle work.

Photo:  Kelpie (Source: Internet)

The Australian cattle dog 

Australian cattle dog (with red factor gene instead of blue)

 Also known as the "blue heeler", "Australian heeler" or "Queensland blue heeler" - and probably a lot of other unprintable things too.  These are tough dogs bred to heel and nose cattle - real Aussie battlers!  Their well-documented genetic origin contains "black bobtails" (presumably collie), definitely dingo to get rid of barking, as well as Kelpie, blue merle collie, Dalmatian, and probably a lot more.  Generally too tough for most shepherds unless you have stroppy cattle to handle.  A loyal and tough dog.

Surprisingly they are increasing in popularity in New Zealand as pets and show dogs, so their future as workers is clearly at risk.

The rough-coated collie

These are the dogs that "Lassie" made famous.  Useless as working dogs as their working genes have been lost through the show ring. 

The Shetland sheepdog or Sheltie

This is smaller version of the rough coated collie from Scotland's northern most islands.  They were the crofter’s working dogs but now useless as workers.

Sheltie (Source:  Internet)

Old English sheepdog 
A very old breed of working dog developed to handle intensive sheep on the English downland.   Now completely ruined as a working dog by show ring standards.  Many of these dogs now cannot see for facial hair - unless it's tied up with a ribbon.  Modern shepherds as far as I know don't carry ribbons!

 Photo:  Old English sheepdog (Source: internet)





The Corgie

Once the tough little Welsh cattle dog, and you may still find some that will heel cattle.  Two strains exist - the Cardigan and the Pembrokeshire.  Now generally useless for working stock, but made popular because of Royal associations.

Pembroks Corgi (Source:  Internet)

New Zealand farming. Goats – Glossary of terms.

Dr Clive Dalton

Breeds

Saanan milking goats on rotary milking platform

Milking dairy goats:

Sannan

Toggenburg

British Alpine

Anglo Nubian

Fibre goats:

Angora

Cashmere

Cashgora

Feral goats 

Meat goats:

Feral goats

Angora male goat kids

 

Feral goats mustered from the wild and farmed for their fibre and meat

Beard:  The hair which grows below the jaw on mature male goats.

Billy goat:  Same as buck and used mostly when referring to feral goat males.

 Browse:  Feeding habits of goats where they select and eat longer more mature herbage and tree leaves, compared to grazing seen in sheep.  Also name given to the mature feed they select to eat.

 Buck:  Entire male goat of any age. 

Angora buck

Cashmere:  Fine downy undercoat fibre in the base of the fleece of a Cashmere or some feral goats.

Cashgora:  Goat which is a cross between  Angora and Cashmere parents. 

Cashgora doe

 Doe: Mature female goat.  ‘Nanny goat’ also used for females of some breeds such as feral goats.

Goatling:  Same as hogget.

Hogget:  Young goat up to one year old.

 

Saanan goatlings or hoggets up to one year old

 Kid: Young goat of either sex up approaching a year old.

Kidding: Giving birth to an offspring.

Saanan doe just after birth of her kids

Mohair:  Fibres from an Angora goat.

Mohair fibre

Tassels: Structures which grow on neck of some goats near the jaw.

Teeth and aging:  Goats are born with 8 milk teeth which are replaced in pairs from the middle of the lower jaw to the sides at 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 years of age.  After a ‘full mouth’ at 5 years old you cannot age a goat by its teeth.

Weaning: Removing goat kids from sucking their dams.  In dairy goats they are weaned at birth but other breeds can be weaned at any age up to 4 months.

Wether:  Castrated male goat.

New Zealand farming. Deer - Glossary of terms

 

Dr Clive Dalton

Farmed Red deer hinds

Deer in New Zealand

All deer were introduced into New Zealand in the late 1800s by the early European pioneers for sport, after which they multiplied to become classed as noxious pests due to the damage they did to native bush and were then subject to government culling programmes.  Later in the 1960s deer were successfully farmed (see * in list) for the export of venison, velvet and other body parts.

Breeds

*Red

*Fallow

*Wapiti

*Rusa

Virginian (white tail)

Japanese Sika

Sambar

Himalayan Thar

Chamois

Antlers:  Distinct from the permanent horns of sheep, cattle and goats which grow on bone structures which are part of the skull.  Antlers grow anew each year from pedicles which are permanent growths on the frontal bones of the skull. They are shed in September/October (early spring) each year and new growth starts almost immediately.

Bugle:  The  sound made by male Wapiti during the mating season to attract females and to challenge other males.

Coronet: Ring or burr around the base of antlers.

Doe: Mature female used for breeds other than Red deer and sometimes Wapiti.

Havier:  Castrated male deer.

Hind: Mature female Red deer and sometimes Wapiti.

Hummel:  Castrated male deer.

Male deer:

Buck: male Fallow deer.

Bull:  male Wapiti

Stag: male Red deer

Spiker: juvenile male with two spikes which will eventually grow into full antlers.

Juveniles:

Calf:  Red deer and Wapiti.

Fawn: Fallow deer, but also used for other breeds.

Mane: Increased growth of hair on the enlarged neck of male Wapiti and Red deer during the rut.

Palmation: By about their third or fourth season fallow deer develop a distinctive flattening or palmation at the end of their antlers. The edges of the palms are marked by a series of points called spillers or snags.

Pearling: Knobbly or ridged texture or the antlers on some species of deer.

Pedicle: The first part of antler grown on a deer’s head from which the antlers grow.  Often called the button.

Pelage: The coat of deer.

Roar:  The sound made by male deer of some species during the mating season to attract females and challenge other males.  The mating season is sometimes referred to as ‘the roar’.

Rut:  The mating season when males start to attract females and challenge other males.

Slink: Deer calf or fawn in utero valued for its skin.

Snags:  See palmation.

Spillers:  See palmation

Spottie:  Young deer (usually fallow) up to three months old when it still shows the spotted coat pattern.

Young Fallow deer showing spotted coats

Tine:  The points or branches off the main ‘beam’ of antlers.  The number increases each year with age and are given names e.g. brow, bray, tray.

Velvet:  Early vascular growth of antlers before they harden off. Characterised by soft velvet coating which dies and is rubbed off by deer as antlers mature and harden.  Deer are very protective of their antlers when in velvet and avoid challenges among males.

Red deer stags in velvet

New Zealand agricultural history. No 19. Importing exotic sheep breeds.

 Robin Hilson's conclusions on Sheepac

 Bruce Koller’s conclusions on Sheepac

 Not all investors happy

 By Dr Clive Dalton

Robin Hilson's conclusions on Sheepac 

This is what Robin Hilson told me:
 'Everyone I have spoken to now appreciates what we did. All realise that from the start with Sheepac I was able to change farmer’s thinking to accept 'stabilised crossbreds' which have become the powerhouse of the 2014 NZ sheep industry.

Bruce Koller’s conclusions on Sheepac 
This is what Bruce Koller told me:

Bruce Koller

'The Sheepac operation was a spectacular technology transfer success. 
Not only was the Sheepac technology transfer program unique and successful, the selling systems developed largely by Robin Hilson and Richard Bradley were also successful. Some 3600 rams were sold; packages of sheep went back to the 43 breeder shareholders (at no extra charge) throughout New Zealand.  Top price for rams sold was $16000 with an average of  around $1000 per ram. 

'And the influence of the release of these imported genetics has been massive. Twenty years on lambing percentages are 130 to 200 percent on commercial farms, and carcass weights of 18 to 20 kg are now the norm, and we produce increased volumes and value of exports from much reduced sheep numbers; which may be a message for the dairy industry'.

 

Not all investors happy
 

Coopworth breeder Edward Dinger was disappointed with his investment in Sheepac, and he reckons he was not the only one. 

 Edward took a $5,000 share for each of the 5 years, as a contributing member of the Rangitikei Coopworth Breeding Group as times were tough and few breeders had much spare cash to go in as individuals. 

Edward said he took enormous pains to select 29 of his top Coopworth ewes, and then deliver them to the Rangitikei group’s farm at Marton, for them to join others in the group to go to the secondary quarantine station at Robin Hilson's farm, where they were inseminated with purebred Texel and Finn semen from the purebred rams at Hopuhopu.  Most breeders wanted Texels Edward said. 

  

Breeders like Edward were told that three-quarter crosses would be the lowest combination of exotic genes they’d get, were very disappointed to get only halves and quarters. They expected more exotic content back for their money.  Edward said this was 'the worst investment he ever made' as he sent top ewes and got ‘rubbish’ back as the sheep he got back were clearly out of Perendales and not his own top Coopworths, and there were no individual sheep records provided.   Edward expected records of individual ewes to be provided with his sheep.

Edward Dinger said he got some shocking animals back with defects like large black spots, clinical footrot and twisted teeth. Quality control by someone had clearly slipped.  Edward  said that also at one stage, there was a request for investors to stump up with more cash for each share about half way through the enterprise.  

Edward and the other breeders he knows had to breed out their problems by intense selection and culling through Sheeplan. Edward went on to win two NZ Sheep Industry awards (pictured on left) by just intensive recording.

Sheep breeds in New Zealand

By Dr Clive Dalton

Early arrivals in NZ
On 22 May 1773, Captain James Cook dropped off a couple of Merino sheep in Sheep's Cove in the Marlborough Sounds. He had picked them up during his stopover at the Cape of Good Hope, and had great hopes for them in their new home. But they didn't last 24 hours and probably died of eating tutu.

It was Samuel Marsden who really got the New Zealand sheep industry going by introducing Merinos from Australia, to his mission station at Waimate North in 1814. The first Merinos arrived in Australia (13 of them) in 1797 from the flock of King George III ('Farmer George').

Governor Hobson brought in another importation from Australia in 1838.

The Merino has the most amazing history of any sheep in the world.
These Merino hoggets are on Havelah Station in NSW, Australia

Mana island
The first major shipment of Merinos were landed on Mana Island in 1834 and later transferred to the Wairarapa. Importations increased from Australia as more land was taken up for grazing after 1840. Farmers soon found that Merinos were ideally a dry-country sheep thriving better in the South Island high country whereas the wetter North Island hills caused wool faults, footrot, internal parasites and dags.

Later British immigrants brought sheep with them, and for a number of years just about every British breed of sheep came to New Zealand, many of them like the Scottish Blackface failing to survive for a variety of reasons.

Dual purpose breeds – meat & wool
Later in the 19th Century demand for meat increased, first locally but with refrigeration after 1882, meat became a major export to Britain. So ‘dual-purpose’ (meat and wool) breeds became popular, and the Merino retreated into the role of a specialist fine-wood breed for the drier South Island high country.

The Romney Marsh from Kent in UK was imported in the late 1800s and early 1900s as a classical dual-purpose breed, and adapted well to become New Zealand’s most important sheep breed, making an enormous contribution to the nation’s wealth.

Meat breeds
As part of this development, specialist meat breeds from Britain became more popular, originally called ‘Down breeds’ in UK as they were developed on the Downs of Southern England. These breeds, (the Southdown is the classical example), became the basis of the export ‘New Zealand or Canterbury lamb’ that is world recognised for ‘quality’ to this day.

The were used and still are to cross on to other breeds and crosses and all their progeny go for meat. For this reason, they are called ‘terminal sires’ where they are the last to be used in a breeding programme.

Breeds 'made in NZ'
New Zealand farmers started to demand other traits in their sheep, especially more lean meat and fertility, and this led to the development of ‘new’ breeds, produced from crossbreeding. Examples are the Corriedale, Coopworth, Perendale, Borderdale, Dorset Down and South Suffolk.

Then in the 1980s and 1990s, new breeds were introduced from Europe to improve fertility (Finnish Landrace) and meat (Texel), as well as milk production (East Friesian), and these were crossed on to existing breeds to produce what were called ‘composites’. This is the way commercial sheep farmers can quickly respond to changing market demands. Other breeds from the Middle East were also imported in the 1990s to research their potential for the live sheep trade.

Rare breeds - Heritage breeds
These are sheep that have been recovered from remote areas or New Zealand offshore islands where they have been placed to provide meat for shipwrecked sailors, or were farmed before it got too arduous for the people who left them behind. Some are derived from sheep that missed the muster so have been feral for many decades.

The preservation of these sheep breeds, and other breeds of livestock, is managed by 'The Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz).

WOOL BREEDS
MERINO

Superfine Merino ram at Omarama Field Day

Mature body weight (ewes): 35-45kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 3.5-5kg
  
• Staple length: 65-100mm
• Fibre diameter: 19-24 microns

Fertility: 70-100%
Administration: NZ Merino Stud Breeders. (www.merino.co.nz). Booroola Sheep Society of New Zealand.

The Merino in New Zealand is now mainly farmed in the South Island high country where, despite low overall demand for wool, Merino breeders through efficient marketing, have retained a premium demand for their superfine wool used in men's suiting and outdoor and fashion clothing.

Merinos have low-medium body weight, are 'light boned', have pink skin around the face and ears and pure white wool. Wrinkles unfortunately were introduced by American breeders who wrongly believed they would increase surface area and hence fleece weight.

Although skin wrinkles have been greatly reduced, they still cause welfare problems when mulesing is used to remove britch wrinkles to avoid dags and blowfly attacks. New Zealand Merinos are less wrinkly than Australian strains, and although mulesing is not illegal, it's not advised.

Merinos are late maturing, so surplus lambs grow slowly to light weights, and cast-for-age ewes are of low meat value. High country farmers who eat their own 'Merino mutton' from wethers up to 7-year-old, claim that it has great flavour but needs plenty of time in the oven.

Fertility in the high country is low as is lamb survival, and on difficult farms, lambing is often delayed until ewes are three years of age.

Merinos farmed on more fertile green pastures are prone to footrot, their toes grow long and they need drenching for internal parasites which under present costs makes then uneconomic to farm.

BOOROOLA MERINO
The introduction of the Booroola strain of Merino from Australia in the 1970s greatly increased fertility, but multiple births were often a disadvantage in difficult environments. Irrigation has allowed the low ground on some high country farms to grow improved pasture which has been used to finish lambs bred from Merino ewes (especially the Booroola) by meat sires.


DRYSDALE

Drysdale rams

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-70kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 5-7 kg
  
• Staple length: 200-300mm
• Fibre diameter: 40 microns plus
  

Fertility: 90-120%
Administration:

Dr F.W. Dry of Massey College in the 1930s - 1940s discovered a gene in Romneys that produced a strong coarse hairy (medullated) fleece, large curved horns in rams and small horns in ewes. He named it the 'N' gene (after the Neilson farm of discovery), and the breed was named the Drysdale after Dry. Under strict control of a carpet company, the breed multiplied into commercial numbers in the 1970s to supply their mills. It has now almost disappeared due to the demise of the woolen carpet trade.

Dr F.W. Dry taking wool samples from a Drysdale ram during a stay
at Whatawhata Research Station in the 1970s.

The breed has all the other growth and carcass traits of the Romney, but must be shorn twice a year as full fleece wool is too long for processing. Its freedom from pigmented fibres allows it to be dyed a full range of colours.

Other coarse-woolled breeds
The success of the Drysdale for carpet wools, removing the need to import Scottish Blackface wool which was bad for pigmented fibres, encouraged farmers to look for other 'hairy' genes. From this came the Tukidale and the Carpetmaster. Remnants of these breeds are now very hard to locate.

BLACK & COLOURED

Black and coloured sheep - from a mainly Romney base

Coloured sheep have always been found in small numbers in all breeds, but it wasn't until there was an interest in natural coloured fibres in New Zealand in the 1970s that an organisation was formed to research their genetics and market their wool. Search my blog for details of the genetics of coloured sheep.

This is now done through the Black and Coloured Sheep Breeders' Association. (www.colouredsheep.org.nz)

The wool from all breeds is available, and the feral sheep of Merino origin from offshore islands are an important part of the mix. So there are many dual purpose breeds represented in the range of black and coloured sheep. The wool is used mainly for home spinning and weaving.


DUAL PURPOSE BREEDS ( Meat & wool)
ROMNEY

Romney two-tooth rams - 2010 model

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-80kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4.5-6kg
  
• Staple length: 125-175mm
• Fibre diameter: 33-37 microns

Fertility: 100-140%
Administration: Romney New Zealand. New Zealand Romney Sheep Breeders' Association Inc.
(www.romneysheep.org.nz)

The original sheep from Romney Marsh in Kent have been through many changes in their time in New Zealand. They came as large open-faced sheep, with bare points and then were changed into small blockey animals in response to demand for meat conformation. They were then covered all over in wool on their legs and heads to the extent that they were 'wool blind' and could not see. This was in response to high wool prices where breeders believed (wrongly) that the total fleece weight would be increased by this change. It only increased work in crutching, dagging and wigging (removing wool from the face).

Today's 'New Zealand Romney' is more like a vastly improved model of the original 1860s Kent sheep, and is the best example of a modern dual-purpose breed farmed over a wide range of environments from fertile lowland to hard hill country in both islands. It has been bred for 'easy care' management to meet the needs of today's sheep farmers.

Ewes have increased greatly in size, weight and fertility, and purebred Romney lambs grow rapidly with good meat conformation. Romney wool is used widely in the carpet and furnishing trade. Shearers are now complaining that today's Romneys, along with some other breeds are getting too heavy to handle.

Romney composites
The Finn is the most popular breed to have been mixed with the Romney to increase fertility, followed by the East Friesian to add more milk production to feed the extra lambs.

The Texel has also been added so composites are available with varying proportions of these breeds. Some farmers are marketing them under the name of Romex.

Romney composites - 3/4 Romney and 1/4 Finn

COOPWORTH

Coopworth two-tooth ewes

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-80kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4.5-6kg
  
• Staple length: 125-175mm
• Fibre diameter: 35-39 microns

Fertility: 110-140%
Administration: Coopworth Sheep Society of New Zealand. (www.coopworth.org.nz)

The Coopworth was developed at Lincoln College in Canterbury from research work by Professor Ian Coop and Mr Vern Clarke in the 1970s. The aim was to get more fertility into the Romney by crossing with the Border Leicester, and the Coopworth was the result of interbreeding and selection for performance within the first cross or F1, with great emphasis on fertility.

Modern Coopworths are large sheep with high fertility and they do best on good lowland or fertile hill country. Lambs mature early and have a good carcass conformation. Hogget mating is common. Wool is typical 'crossbred' and has similar end uses to Romney.

Many Coopworth flocks, especially with an infusion of Finn now produce up to 30% triplets, and at this level, there can be around 5% of ewes having quads. Triplets are left on the ewe but quads are definitely not wanted as at least one lamb has be to removed and often euthanased.

Coopworth with triplets

Coopworth with quads - low birth weight and high mortality are major
problems with quads.

Coopworth composites
It is getting harder to find straight-bred Coopworths, as many have been used as a base to breed composites with the Finn and East Friesian breeds.

The breed of these ewes are from a Border Leicester X Romney base
with some Finn mixed in. They could be loosely called Coopworth composites.

PERENDALE

Perendale mixed-age ewes

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-70kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4-6kg
  
• Staple length: 125-175mm
• Fibre diameter: 35-39 microns

Fertility: 110-160%
Administration: Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand. (perendalenz.com)

The Perendale was developed at Massey College by Professor Peren in the 197os to produce a sheep that would be more productive on hill country than the Romney of the day. Cheviot rams were crossed on to Romney ewes and the crossbreds were interbred with selection for performance, especially easy-care lambing.

Perendale two-tooth rams.
Their Cheviot ancestors are still obvious.

Perendales are the ideal sheep for steep hill country, as they move well and are easy to shepherd - by experienced staff. They are not idea for small lifestyle blocks as they are too active. Their lambs grow well and have good meat conformation. Their wool is valuable for its 'bulk' or 'spring' in the staple which is used in carpets and garments.


Perendale composites

ROMDALE
When some Perendale breeders wanted to put more wool, body size and carcass on their sheep, they used the Romney and interbred the cross bred and called it a Romdale.

Romdale hoggets

The Perendale has not been used much to make up composites.


CORRIEDALE

Corriedale rams in full wool

Mature body weight (ewe): 60-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4.5-6.5kg
  
• Staple length: 75-125mm
• Fibre diameter: 28-33 microns

Fertility: 90-130%
Administration: New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association.

The Corriedale could be described as the first New Zealand breed to be developed from crossing the Merino with English Longwool breeds (Lincoln and English Leicester). It was bred to produce meat and wool from the drier, easier South Island hill country and was officially recognised as a breed in 1911. It has been widely exported to South and North America, the Falklands and Australia.

Lambs grow well for meat and the medium-micron wool is used for medium-weight garments, worsteds and knitting yarns.


NEW ZEALAND HALFBRED

Mature body weight (ewe): 60-75kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4- 5kg
  
• Staple length: 75-110mm
• Fibre diameter: 25-31+ microns

Fertility: 100-120%
Administration:

Developed like the Corriedale from crossing and interbreeding the English Leicester and the Lincoln on the Merino. It has more Merino traits than the Corriedale. Their performance is similar to the Corriedale.


BORDER LEICESTER

Two Border Leicester rams

Mature body weight (ewe): 60-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4.5-6kg
  
• Staple length: 150-200mm
• Fibre diameter: 37-40 microns

Fertility: 110-170%
Administration: New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association.

The Border Leicester was bred from the English Leicester in the Scottish Borders, and there is little doubt (from its dominant Roman nose) that the Cheviot played a part in its development.
It is not farmed as a dual purpose breed as such, but is used mainly as a 'crossing sire' to add fertility, good frame and carcass to crossbred progeny. It was an early import to New Zealand in 1859.

In New Zealand, it has made major contributions to forming the Coopworth (BL x Romney) and Borderdale (BL x Corriedale). Wool is typical crossbred and is used in carpets and furnishings.


ENGLISH LEICESTER

English Leicester
Photo from NZ Sheep Breeders' Association website
www.nzsheep.co.nz

Mature body weight (ewe): 60-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 5-6kg
  
• Staple length: 150-200mm
• Fibre diameter: 37-40 microns

Fertility: 110-150%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

English Leicesters were developed from the Leicester Longwool in UK and came to New Zealand in 1843 where they were named the English Leicester to avoid confusion with the Border Leicester. They are now few in number and classed as heritage breeds. They made a major contribution in the past to increase both wool and meat production by crossing on to other breeds such as the Merino to produce the Corriedale.


LINCOLN

Mature body weight (ewe): 60-75kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 7- 12kg
  
• Staple length: 175-250mm
• Fibre diameter: 37-41+ microns

Fertility: 100-120%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Lincoln is one of the oldest breeds of long wool sheep and was recognised in UK in 1749.
It was brought to New Zealand in 1862 and was the main breed before the turn of the century, used to produce heavy fleeces and large carcasses. Through crossbreeding, these traits were incorporated in other breeds such as the Corriedale and the Polwarth.

The strong lustrous and low-crimp wool was used for carpets. In full fleece a sheep would be wool blind due to the amount of wool on the face and head. It is very similar in looks to the English Leicester. It is now classed as a heritage breed.


CHEVIOT

Cheviot mixed-age ewes at Whatawhata Research Station 1980
The shearers hated these sheep and the feelings were mutual!

Mature body weight (ewe): 55-70kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2-3kg
  
• Staple length: 75-120mm
• Fibre diameter: 28-33 microns

Fertility: 90-120%
Administration: Cheviot Sheep Society of New Zealand.

The Cheviot was one of the first UK breeds of sheep to be introduced into New Zealand (1845). Further importations arrived in 1857, 1890 and 1937.

It was an ideal 'pioneering' sheep to break in new country after the bush had been cleared and burned. It is not farmed any more in commercial flocks as a dual purpose breed, but is found more in small studs where rams are sold for use as meat sires. Its main contribution to New Zealand has been to produce the Perendale.

It's the most active of all sheep, and needs skilled shepherding with very restricted use of the huntaway dog. It's best handled with heading dogs and the Border Collie evolved in the same Scottish Border Cheviot hills as the Cheviot sheep.

Fleece weights are low and the wool has traditionally been used for knitwear. Its helical crimp is important in adding bulk and resilience to carpets.

Cheviot ewes on their native heath in winter coming for their feed.
Photo by shepherd Helen Brown at Chatto in the Cheviot Hills.
By kind permission - Helen Brown.

POLWARTH

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-65kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 5.5- 6.0kg
  
• Staple length: 75-110mm
• Fibre diameter: 23-25 microns

Fertility: 100-120%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Polwarth was produced in Australia by crossing the Lincoln on to the Merino with the aim of producing a dual purpose sheep with major emphasis on mid-micron wool. The breed was brought to New Zealand in the early 1900s to be farmed mainly in the south island drier hill country. The end use of Polwarth wool is in the worsted trade and for fine knitwear.


FINNSHEEP

Finnsheep
Photo from NZ Sheep Breeders' Ass0ciation website
www.nzsheep.co.nz

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-70kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2.5- 4kg
  
• Staple length: 75-125mm
• Fibre diameter: 25-27 microns

Fertility: 175-250%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Finnish Landrace (now called Finnsheep) was imported into New Zealand in the 1980s by the government to boost fertility in the national flock. It was classed as a dual purpose breed and its wool was predicted to extend the range of the NZ clip,by its white lustrous fibre used in furnishings. Its main contribution now is in putting fertility into composites where one quarter is the most popular proportion. It is claimed to be resistant to Facial Eczema.

Sheep in restricted quarantine at Hophopu Research Station in the 1980s after release from maximum quarantine. The Finns are obvious by their short tails.

EAST FRIESIAN

Some of the original East Friesian imports.
Photo by kind permission of Dr Jock Allison

Mature body weight (ewe): 80-95kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 4-5kg
  
• Staple length: 120-160mm
• Fibre diameter: 35-37 microns

Fertility: 250- 280%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The East Friesian was imported into New Zealand in 1992 and released from quarantine for commercial sale in 1996. It was imported to add milk production genes and fertility to the national flock, and has been used mainly at add these traits to composites with the Romney and Coopworth.

The end use for wool is the carpet trade. Milk production averages 500-600 litres in 210-230 day lactations.


DOHNE MERINO

Dohne Merino Photo from Rare Breeds website
www.rarebreeds.co.nz

Mature body weight (ewe): 55-75kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2-3kg
  
• Staple length: 75-1oomm
• Fibre diameter: 27-32 microns

Fertility: 110-130%
Administration:

The Dohne was developed in South Africa from crossing two strains of Merino - the Australian Peppin and the German Mutton Merino in 1939. The breed society was formed in 1966 and the breed was introduced into New Zealand in 1988. The breed is free from wrinkles and has a good meat conformation along with fine wool.

MEAT BREEDS
SOUTHDOWN

Mature body weight (ewe): 50-70kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2-3kg
  
• Staple length: 75-1oomm
• Fibre diameter: 27-32 microns

Fertility: 110-130%
Administration: Southdown Sheep Society of New Zealand Inc.
Email: (southdown@slingshot.co.nz)

The Southdown has been the foundation of 'New Zealand lamb' or 'Canterbury lamb' since the start of refrigeration 1882. It has been the classical 'terminal sire' where all offspring mature early, grow fast and go for slaughter.

The breed has seen many changes in 'type' over the years when responding to changing meat markets. From the original imports from Britain, it was greatly reduced in size to meet the demand for small joints. Now the breed has changed back to larger sheep, again to meet a market where consumers buy oven-ready products and not joints any more.

Apart from being a specialist meat breed on its own, Southdowns have been important in contributing their meat qualities to other breeds through crossing and interbreeding to form new breeds.

Examples

• South Dorset (Southdown x Dorset)
• South Dorset Down (Southdown x Dorset Down)
• South Suffolk (Southdown x Suffolk)
• South Hampshire (Southdown x Hampshire)

Southdown wool is short stapled and bulky and was traditionally used in knitwear blends.


SUFFOLK

Sufflock ewe and lambs. Lambs are born black but start
to turn white after a few weeks old.

Mature body weight (ewe): 60-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2.5- 3kg
  
• Staple length: 75-1oomm
• Fibre diameter: 30-35 microns

Fertility: 110-150%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Suffolk has been the most popular terminal meat sire breed in New Zealand, but is now losing this place to a large extent to the Polled Dorset.

The Suffolk is specialist heavy-weight prime lamb breed and the lambs are early maturing and grow fast to obtain early market premiums.

Mature mixed-age Sufflok ewes like these would now all be over 80kg

The wool was traditionally used for hand-knitting yarns, flannel and tweeds. At one time the black fibres in Suffolk wool were considered a problem when they got on to the carcass as they could be easily seen.

The Suffolk has been used to improve the size and meat potential of the Southdown in forming the South Suffolk.


SOUTH SUFFOLK

Mature body weight (ewe): 65-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2- 3kg
  
• Staple length: 50-75mm
• Fibre diameter: 27-33 microns

Fertility: 120-160%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association


The breed was developed in the 1930s to meet the demand for more lean meat and was registered in 1955. The bare head features of the Suffolk in the cross have removed a lot of the face wool from the Southdown, but the breed exhibits a good average of their parent breeds. The wool is typical 'down type, described as 'chalky' with no crimp and is used in knitwear.


POLL DORSET & DORSET HORN

Poll Dorset rams - these are now massive sheep with rams
weighing up near 100kg. Shearers are starting to complain!

Mature body weight (ewe): 70-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2- 3kg
  
• Staple length: 75-100mm
• Fibre diameter: 27-32 microns

Fertility: 120-160%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Poll Dorset has become a very popular terminal sire for all dual purpose breeds and crosses, as over recent years, there has been intense selection by stud breeders to increase size, early lamb growth and lean carcasses.

The breed is also noted for early oestrus and out-of-season lambing, and ewes are also a popular choice for sheep milking enterprises.

The horns of the Poll Dorset in New Zealand were removed by crossing the Dorset Horn with the Corriedale and Ryeland, and then backcrossing to fix the breed type. It is also stated that the polling of the Dorset took place in Australia.

Whereas the Poll Dorset is increasing in popularity as a terminal meat sire, the Dorset Horn is now moving into Heritage status.

Wool from these breeds is typical 'down' type used for hosiery, flannels and fine tweeds. Skins have been used in linings for boots.

DORSET DOWN

Mature body weight (ewe): 65-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2- 3kg
  
• Staple length: 50-75mm
• Fibre diameter: 26-29 microns

Fertility: 110-140%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The breed was developed in UK from crosses with the Southdown, Hampshire and local Dorset breeds and was established as a breed in New Zealand in 1947. It was imported as a meat breed with similar qualities for early maturing export lamb as the Poll Dorset and Suffolk.

The typical down type wool is used for felting and blending with other types for hosiery and fine knitting yarns.

HAMPSHIRE DOWN

Hampshire ram
Photo from NZ Sheep Breeders' Ass0ciation website
www.nzsheep.co.nz

Mature body weight (ewe): 65-80kg

Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2- 3kg
  
• Staple length: 50-75mm
• Fibre diameter: 27-33 microns

Fertility: 120-160%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Hampshire was bred in England from crosses of Southdown, Wiltshire horn and local Hampshire breeds and imported into New Zealand in 1861, with later importations from Australia.

It is another example of the classical down breeds with good early lamb growth and good meat conformation.

TEXEL

Texel ram

Mature body weight (ewe): 65-80kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 2- 3kg
  
• Staple length: 75-110mm
• Fibre diameter: 28-33 microns

Fertility: 110-130%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Texel was developed on the Dutch island of Texel where it is a dual-purpose breed. Cheviot genes were mixed into the local sheep in its early development and these are still apparent in its physical looks. It was imported into New Zealand in 1990 to boost meat conformation and yield. It has been used in producing composite breeds to boost meat traits. The wool is typical bulky Cheviot type with similar end uses.


WILTSHIRE HORN

Horned Wiltshire ram (Photo compliments of breeder Lyle Millar)

Polled Wiltshire horn ewes showing shedding gene.

Fertility: 110-130%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

There are both horned and polled Wiltshires. In the horned flocks, rams have heavy horns and ewes have small horns. In some of the polled flocks ewe lambs develop small horns which can be removed.


OXFORD DOWN

Mature body weight (ewe): 65-80kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 3.5- 5kg
  
• Staple length: 100-150mm
• Fibre diameter: 33-37 microns

Fertility: 90-120%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Oxford is the largest meat breed in UK and first came to New Zealand in 1906 but seemed to disappear. A new importation by MAF took place in 1980 and sheep were released from quarantine in 1990 for commercial use. They were imported this time to respond to a demand for large lean carcasses.

The wool is typical 'down' type with similar end uses as the other down breeds.


RYELAND

Mature body weight (ewe): 55-70kg
Wool:

• Fleece weight: 3- 4kg
  
• Staple length: 75-100mm
• Fibre diameter: 28-33 microns

Fertility: 110-130%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association

The Ryeland evolved in UK as a dual purpose breed and was used as such when it came to New Zealand in 1901 and 1907. It then developed more as a meat breed and has been used as a terminal sire. It is now classed as a rare or heritage breed as numbers are very low. It was used to poll the Dorset Horn to produce the Poll Dorset.

The typical down wool is suitable for textiles, tweeds and hosiery.


DORPER

Photo from NZ Sheep Breeders' Ass0ciation website
www.nzsheep.co.nz

Mature body weight (ewe): 65-80kg
Fertility: 110-130%
Administration: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association


The Dorper was produced in South Africa in the 1930s by crossing and interbreeding the Dorset Horn and the Black Headed Persian, so sheep can be either all white or have a black head. They were bred as a meat sheep and shedding their wool for warm climates. They were introduced into New Zealand in the 1980s as a terminal sire meat breed for large carcasses.


OTHER BREEDS
AWASSI

Awassi ram.
Photo by kind permission of Kalev & Kathy Crossland
(email: xland@ihug.co.nz)

Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

The Awassi is a fat tailed sheep imported using embryos into New Zealand from Israel in 1991 and released from quarantine in 1995. The breed has potential for the live sheep export trade to the Middle East.


KARAKUL

Karakul ewe.
Photo by kind permission of Michael Willis

Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

This is another Middle Eastern fat tailed breed where the fat spreads over the rump. It was imported into New Zealand and released from quarantine in 1994. The pelts of Karakul lambs produce the classical curly 'Persian lamb' used for hats and coat trimmings.

DAMARA
This breed originated in Namibia and has been imported into New Zealand with potential for export to the Middle East.

Awassi ram.
Photo by kind permission of Kalev & Kathy Crossland
(email: xland@ihug.co.nz)

GOTLAND PELT
This breed was imported to New Zealand by MAF in the 1980s from Scandinavia for research into the possibility of an export pelt trade.

Information: New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association

HOKONUI
These are Merino type sheep that were found in the Hokonui hills in Southland, New Zealand. They can be white or coloured, the rams have large horns and the ewes are rarely horned.
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)


CHATHAM ISLAND
These clearly carry Merino genes and got themselves isolated on a corner of the main Island of the Chathams. They have been feral since the early 1900s. They are mostly white with long fleeces which suggests other breeds than the Merino. The rams have horns as have half of the ewes.


PITT ISLAND

Pitt Island ewes

These are coloured Merino type sheep that were released on Pitt Island in the Chatham Island group in New Zealand in the early 1900s by European settlers. Some of the sheep were removed in 1981 before the island was cleared of animals and are now kept as heritage sheep. They are all coloured and are self shedding.
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

CAMPBELL ISLAND
Sheep were first put on to Campbell Island in 1895 with more arrivals in the early 1900s with the intention of farming them. The island was abandoned in 1931 with 4000 sheep left to run wild. From these feral sheep, ten were brought to New Zealand as heritage sheep in the late 1980s before the island was cleared of livestock. They are the only ferals known to hae mainly Merino blood.
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

STEWART ISLAND
Sheep farming started on Stewart Island in 1874 and continued until the 1990s. These sheep were ferals that missed regular musters, and the remnants are now classed as heritage sheep.
They are of Merino origin, are coloured and have horns.
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

ARAPAWA
These are also coloured Merino type sheep that have bred on Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds from sheep taken there in 1867 by early settlers. The sheep are of Merino types originating from Australia. Today's heritage sheep were derived from escapees on the island. They have a fine fleece which sheds if the feed levels are challenging.
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

RAGLAN
These are a Romney that went feral on a peninsula in Raglan harbour. Twelve ewes and two rams were collected in 1976 by MAF scientists at Whatawhata Research Station. The small flock was sold in 2005 and the remnants are now kept as heritage sheep.
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

OTHERS
Information: Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz)

The trust lists a number of other types of sheep which have been mainly escapees from farmed sheep.

• Clarence River sheep: From the Clarence river reserve in the Marlborough Sounds.
• Digger Hill sheep: From western Southland.
• Herbert sheep: From the Herbert and Hampden areas of north Otago.
• Mohaka sheep: From the Mohaka river area in Hawkes Bay.
• Woodstock sheep: From Woodstock station near Oxford in south Canterbury.