Sheep breeds in Australia
Of the approximately 100 million sheep in Australia, over 80% are pure Merino – a breed that produces heavy fleece and fine wool. The strains of Merino, and other breeds, vary dependent on their location and the end-use for the wool.
The Australian rural landscape is uniquely suited to sheep and wool production is this country's largest and most important form of land use. There are over 70,000 wool-producing properties spread across Australia.
Individual flocks range from a few hundred to as many as 100,000 or more sheep, with some three quarters of all sheep run in flocks of 3,000 or more.
The Australian sheep flock now numbers 114.8 million head (at 2001). Other significant sheep flocks are found in China (133.5 million), Iran (53 million), New Zealand (46 Million) and Turkey (30.2 million).
Australian Merino
More than 80 per cent of all Australian sheep are pure Merino with most of the remainder at least part Merino blood. Merino is grown primarily for its heavy fleeces of fine wool.
Although the Australian Merino derives its name and basic appearance from the Spanish breed, it is a distinct breed in its own right, developed and adapted in Australia to the specific conditions of this country.
Merino sheep were brought to Australia from the Cape Colony, England, Saxony (South East Germany), France and America.
In the development of Australian sheep flocks, Merinos of all types were introduced, and through selection and crossbreeding, and with particular attention to the impact of the environment on both animal and fleece, the Australian Merinos that we now know were developed.
Today there are four basic strains:
- Peppin Merino
- Saxon Merino
- South Australian Merino
- Spanish Merino
Peppin Merino
The Peppin brothers near Deniliquin, in the Riverina, established the "Waganella" sheep stud in 1861. It seems clear that Merinos of both Spanish and French origin were introduced and the influence of a French "Rambouillet" ram, called Emperor, is widely acknowledged as one of the most important events in the development of the Peppin stud.
As much as 70 per cent of today's Australian Merinos are said to be directly descended from the Peppin-developed sheep.
The Peppin Merino is particularly prevalent in the sheep flocks of Queensland, on the slopes and plains of NSW, through the north of Victoria and the mixed farming areas of South Australia and Western Australia. It can also be found in significant numbers in the higher rainfall areas of Victoria, Tasmania and NSW.
The Peppin Merino has a large frame and long legs, which make it an efficient forager in dry inland regions.
Its heavy fleece falls in the mid-range of Merino wool qualities, with a high wool grease content, which protects the wool from the environment and gives it a creamy colour.
The Merino sheep introduced into Australia soon after settlement were only able to produce one to two kilograms of wool each year. Today, a Peppin Merino stud ram of today may produce up to 20 kilograms of wool, and it is not unusual for commercial animals to produce up to 10 kilograms of wool each year.
Saxon Merino
Saxon Merino sheep are found exclusively in the higher rainfall country of southern Australia, especially in the highlands of Tasmania, the cooler and wetter regions of Victoria and tablelands of New South Wales.
Saxons are the smallest of the Merino strains, cutting only four to five kilograms of wool.
Saxon Merino wool is highly prized by the textile industry for producing high quality cloths because it is:
- Soft to handle
- Extremely bright
- White in colour
- Very fine
Superfine Saxon Merino wool normally commands a distinct price premium in the market.
South Australian Merino
South Australian Merinos were specifically bred to thrive and provide an economic return from wool in the arid pastoral conditions found in much of South Australia. Rainfall in these districts is mostly in the vicinity of 250mm per year or less, and plants such as the saltbush (Attriplex spp.) make up a large part of the natural vegetation.
This strain of Merino is also found in significant numbers in the pastoral regions of Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.
The South Australian is physically the largest of the strains of Merino sheep in this country. They are generally longer, taller and heavier of body than the Peppin types, and tend to have less loose skin (skin wrinkles) than other strains.
The wool from these sheep is the coarsest (i.e. thickest in fibre diameter) of the range of Merino wool types. It also carries a higher proportion of natural grease, which has been specifically sought by breeders to provide protection to the fibre under the most adverse grazing conditions.
Spanish Merino
Though relatively few in number there is a distinct strain of the Australian Merino that is directly descended from Merino sheep of "Spanish" blood imported into the colony.
After the drier inland had been opened up and the Spanish blood sheep moved away from the coast, significant advances in body size and wool weights were achieved. Today, these sheep achieve body weights and fleece weights of the same magnitude as the Peppin strain, and are mostly found in the same climactic zones.
"Border/Merino" Crossbred
The second most populous breed of sheep in Australia comprises the ewe progeny from Border Leicester rams mated to Merino ewes.
Border/Merino ewes produced in this way offer the greatest overall performance when breeding meat type sheep, with a well proportioned carcase, high fertility, robust constitution and good milk production.
Another feature of the Border/Merino is its fleece of fine crossbred wool which, although not as heavy or valuable as pure Merino wool, is still an important contributor to overall financial returns from these sheep.
Border/Merino ewes are mated to shortwool rams (e.g. Poll Dorset or Southdown) to produce prime lambs, which have an ideal carcase shape and grow rapidly to market weights. The vast majority of Australian lambs produced for meat are bred in this manner.
Other Australian Breeds
A number of breeds have been developed and "fixed" genetically by breeders in Australia and New Zealand. Foremost of these are the Corriedale and Polwarth, though the Perendale, Turidale and Drysdale are also important - especially in New Zealand where they were first produced.
Corriedale
This principle "dual-purpose" breed is capable of producing a second fleece of "comeback" wool (i.e. coarser than, but coming back towards, the Merino style) and an acceptable meat carcase.
The Corriedale was developed simultaneously in New Zealand and Australia by crossing Lincolns with Merinos and selecting the progeny to fix desirable traits.
It is now one of the world's most successful dual-purpose breeds and is found in Australia and New Zealand, South America, the USA, South Africa, India and parts of Asia.
In Australia it is mainly raised in the higher rainfall areas where it is more tolerant of prolonged wet periods than the Merino.
In external appearance the Corriedale is a large framed, hornless sheep, with dark pigmented skin on nostrils and lips and a heavy fleece of long stapled, bulky wool.
Polwarth
This breed was developed in Victoria by starting with a Lincoln/Merino first cross, and then crossing back the Merino again. As such the Polwarth is three quarters Merino and displays many of the same visual characteristics although it is hornless.
This breed also is sought for its ability to thrive in areas considered too wet for the Merino, and produces a long stapled fleece of approximately the same fibre diameter as the strongest wool Merinos.
Some Polwarths are found in New Zealand and South America, but they are principally confined to Southern Australia, particularly Tasmania and Victoria.
British Breeds
There are a large number of breeds that came to this country from England and are used primarily in the production of sheep meats. These can be categorised into the "longwool" types (such as the Border Leicester) and the "Downs" or "shortwool" breeds (such as the Southdown and Dorset Horn).
Some of the breeds that have little commercial significance today have contributed greatly to the development of Australia's sheep industry. The English Leicester and Lincoln were prominent in early flocks and played an important role in the overall development of Australian sheep and wool.
Border Leicester
This breed had its origins in the Border regions between England and Scotland and first came to Australia in the 1870s. Their principal use is to cross with the Merino ewes for production of Border Leicester/Merino ewes, which in turn are mated to shortwool rams to produce prime lambs. They are large, robust hornless sheep, with no wool on face or legs. Their wool tends to be very long and, by Australian standards, very coarse.
Romney
In Australia, drought, depressed wool prices for broad wools and breeding trends have been influencing factors behind the reduction in Romney numbers. Modern Romney's are robust, multipurpose, hard working sheep. Romney ewes have superior fertility, raising exceptionally high percentages of twins. They are exemplary mothers of quality, vigorous lambs. Crossed with other breeds, Romney produce an ideal prime lamb, prime lamb mother or are an integral component of composite breeds. They can tolerate wet conditions which is an advantage in the higher rainfall areas for cross breeding to produce prime lambs.
Poll Dorset
This breed was developed in Australia by breeders who sought to retain the desirable characteristics of the Dorset Horn, but wished to eliminate that breed's horns, which presented significant management and husbandry problems. The Poll Dorset is now the most commonly used sire in the production of prime lambs. Its main distinguishing features are its hornless appearance, long square body set on short legs, and 'spongy' short-stapled wool.
Southdown
Perhaps the smallest of our sheep breeds, the Southdown has an important role in the production of prime quality sheep meats. When mated to Border/Merino ewes the resultant lambs can rapidly grow to a marketable weight. Breeders seeking to market their lambs as early 'spring lamb' and attract a premium price prize these attributes. The distinguishing features of the Southdown are its short square head of almost 'piggish' appearance, very square and long body, and extremely short legs. The wool is quite short and spongy.
Dorset Horn
These sheep are characterised by their very square, chunky appearance, long body, and massive horns on both rams and ewes. They are important commercially for their ability to pass to their progeny their superior carcase composition and their ability to grow very rapidly.
Carpet Wool Breeds
Wool carpets are made from the very coarsest wools and until recently little or no wool of this type was produced in Australia. New Zealand, however, is a large producer of carpet wool, as their sheep industry is primarily based on the coarse-woolled Romney.
In Australia two new breeds of sheep are beginning to attract a following for their ability to produce carpet type wools. These are the Tukidale and Drysdale, both genetically derived from the New Zealand Romney. Both types are stocky in appearance and produce an extremely long stapled fleece of very coarse wool.
Other Breeds
A number of other breeds are found in Australia but at present are of little commercial importance. These include longwool (Lincoln, Cheviot, English Leicester) and shortwool breeds (Shropshire, Suffolk, South Suffolk, Ryeland, Hampshire Down, Wiltshire Horn).
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