Woolcraft at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show

The Australian Sheep and Wool Show will feature the breeds of the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) in 2012.

Woolcraft will be featuring a selection, which includes: Perendale

Perendale sheep are the progeny of second and subsequent crosses of Cheviot/Romney Cross sheep, i.e. Perendale rams or Cheviot/Romney Cross rams on Cheviot/Romney ewes, or Perendale rams on Perendale ewes. There are certain characteristics which have made the Perendale so popular in New Zealand and Australia as truly easy-care, multi-purpose sheep. The Perendales are:

• Alert and active, hence are excellent foragers and are easy to muster.
• Hardy, survive drought and severe weather 
conditions better than most other breeds.
• Efficient converters, utilising all feeds including dry, stemmy pastures.
• Excellent breeders, possessing strong maternal instincts. They produce many sets of twins with unassisted lambing and wean a good percentage of strong lambs because of their high survival rates.
• Producers of a fleece of reasonable weight and high yield, bulk and elasticity which is being keenly sought after by many different end-users.
• Perendale rams are very active and a ratio of 1 ram to 75 ewes is adequate.

General Appearance

A medium sized, white-faced sheep showing unmistakable Cheviot ancestry in its open face, the carriage of its head and neck and its ease of movement. Resemblance to its other parent, the Romney, is shown in its weight of fleece and, to a lesser extent, in its size.

Fleece

Quality wool within the 32-38 micron range is acceptable for adult sheep; lambs and hoggets produce finer wools down to 28 microns. Staple long and regular over entire fleece. Crimp well defined and even from butt to tip. Colour an attractive chalky-white fleece, showing virtually no luster. Handle soft and bulky, with good density. Free of black fibres, rust, kemp and hair.

Head

General: Strong without being over-large, wide between the eyes and broad in the crown, medium topknot desirable but not essential. Horns not permissible.
Face: Open, white and free of wool below the eyes. Black spots not permissible unless very minute. Nose should be broad, black and with good open nostrils.
Eyes: Dark, bold and intelligent, full of character.
Ears: Medium length, somewhat erect giving an alert appearance, soft to handle. Black spots though permissible are to be discouraged.
Neck: Strong and should hold head well up.

Body

Shoulders: Not too heavy, but well-set. Withers can be a little higher than shoulder blades.
Chest: Wide, with plenty of heart room.
Back: Because of the withers being a little higher there is usually a slight slope to the tailhead, this is acceptable.
Ribs: Well sprung, with a good length loin.
Hindquarters: Firm and deep, well set to legs.
Legs: Medium length clean and bone not too heavy. Rust should be avoided.
Feet: Medium size and black.
Skin: Healthy pink colour.

Carriage

Well balanced, free moving and stylish.

Learn more about the Feature Breed

The Australian Sheep and Wool Show will feature the breeds of the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) in 2012.

Woolcraft will be featuring a selection, which includes: Finnsheep

The Australian Finn (Finnish Landrace) breed is of northern European origin with the base Australian flock being descendants of the original importation into New Zealand in 1986. The Finn was first available in Australia in 1993.

General Appearance

Breeders must maintain the maternal traits of the breed, selecting for fertility, milking and mothering. Rams should be masculine and robust, with large, even, firm testicles.

Fleece

Should be even, soft and lustrous. White wool with good even staple length and lock. Crimp well-defined and even from staple base to tip. There should be no kemp (short frosty fibres) or gare (stronger medullated fibre i.e. carpet wool fibre) through the fleece. Fleece should extend well up the neck to the ears.

Head

General: of horns or scurs which do not move on the skull. Wedge shaped with a strong jaw not exceeding past the dental pad.
Face: Free of wool, covered with soft fine white hair. Lips and nostrils preferably pink.
Eyes: Well set, bright and alert, not protruding. Some pigmentation on eyelids preferred.
Ears: Medium, lively, mobile, pointed tips.

Body

Back: Level and strong. Shoulders should be level with the back.
Hindquarters: Broad, square and deep well boned with reasonable muscling. Natural tail short (<15 cm), well set. Clean, short wool surrounding tail.
Legs: Medium length, free of wool, medium length pasterns that arc strong. Hooves are white.
Skin: Healthy pink, supple.

Carcase

Low subcutaneous fat as body reserves are held around the internal organs.

Carriage

Carriage is alert, free and active. Should be of good constitution with large abdominal capacity.

Learn more about the Feature Breed

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