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Perendale Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

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The Perendale sheep breed is a medium to large breed of sheep with a small strong face and full compact sturdy body.

They are valued for their wool and their very tasty meat. They are very successful for ranging in dry hill country of New Zealand. They have a high fertility rate and produce strong fast-growing lambs with good carcass weights.

PERENDALE SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
They are gentle calm white breed of sheep with a sturdy well filled out body
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Other Names: None
Breed Size: Medium to large
Main Purpose: Meat and wool
Can be used for Breed, **LSC, Meat, Wool
Temperament: Calm
Ideal Climate: Heat, Cold, Most climates
Conservation Status: Not listed by the *ALC
Status/Rarity: Common
Health Issues? No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep? Novice to Intermediate farming/keeping level
Sheep Associations: Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand
Sheep Clubs: Please refer to Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand breeders/members directories for more information
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy
** LSC stands for Landscape Management – the animal is used for controlling various vegetation growth

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Perendale sheep breed have a large, well sprung body. Their legs are long and powerful and in proportion to the body frame.
Color(s): White
SHEEP ⇒ EWE RAM
Breed Weight: 54 to 68 kgs 100 to 118 kgs
Breed Height: Unclear they are a medium to large breed Unclear they are a medium to large breed
Hair: They a long fleece of medium consistency that is firm to the touch They a long fleece of medium consistency that is firm to the touch
Ears: Medium and alert Medium and alert
Horns: No horns No horns
Matures at age: 10 weeks/15 months 10 weeks to 15 months
Puberty Age: 5 to 12 months 5 to 7 months
Breeding Age: 18 months 1 year
Breeding Traits: 1 Breeding cycle per year Cover 5 to 10 Ewes in 1 season

EWE BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
They are prolific breeders with a high lambing percentage and can usually breed throughout the year. They have a high lambing percentage with little to no lambing difficulties and produce vigorous off-spring They are excellent mothers with very good maternal instincts
Breeding Period/cycle: Usually lasts 24 to 36 hours
Estrous cycle: Ave. 17 days/13 to 19 days
Gestation Period: Usually, around 150 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days
No. Lambs/Litter: 1 to 2 (twins) and older ewes can produce up to 3 (triplets) or 4 (quadruplets)
Lactation Period: Usually, around 150 to 240 day but most are milked for 180 days
Milking From: 4 to 6 weeks after lambing
Milk Quality: Good
Milk Ideal for: Lambs
You may Also Like: 10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk

SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION
They are well known for the high-quality lamb and mutton production. With lambs growing at and acceptable rate and turning out fine sized carcasses that are ideal for the chilled trade.
Meat Production: Yes, Quality: Good high-quality lamb and mutton with a great taste
SHEEP ⇒ LAMB HOGGET/MUTTON
Approx. Maturity Weight: 58 kgs 79 Kgs
You may Also Like: 11 Best Sheep Breeds for Meat Production

SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION
The Perendale sheep produces a fine crisp wool
Wool Production? N/A, Quality: Medium quality with a Bradford count of 54s to 56s
Wool is used to Produce: Knitted garments, clothes, blankets, yarns and carpets
SHEEP ⇒ EWE RAM
Age they Produce from: 6 to 8 months 6 to 8 months
Approx. Length: 5 to 6 cm 5 to 6 cm
Microns: 29 to 35 29 to 35
Approx. Quantity: From 1 kg up to 14 kgs a year From 1 kg up to 14 kgs a year
You may Also Like: 18 Best Wool Producing Sheep Breeds

GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE PERENDALE SHEEP
A few more interesting facts to know about the breed
Child-Friendly? No livestock should be left unattended around unsupervised children
Landscape Management? They are good at landscape management
Where to buy them? Please refer to Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand breeders/members directories for more information

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Perendale sheep is named after Sir Geoffrey Peren and was developed to be able to survive, navigate and graze on steep hilly environments.

The Perendale is an easy-care breed that can survive if not thrive in adverse conditions and environments. In which it has no trouble lambing and still has good lambing percentages.

HISTORY

The Perendale sheep breed is a breed of sheep that was developed in New Zealand by Sir Geoffrey Peren.
The breed was specifically bred to be suitable for hill-country farming situations. By the 1980’s hill-farming was dying out as was the Perendale breed especially as modern-day Romney breed is just as adaptable to the terrain and a more desirable breed due to its fleece and meat qualities.

The Perendale sheep breed was developed from the crossing of the Romney and Cheviot sheep breeds.

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USEFUL LINKS

  1. United States Lamb Resource Center
  2. American Sheep Industry Association
  3. American Sheep Industry Association List of Breed Associations & Standards
  4. American Milk Sheep Association
  5. Dairy Sheep Association of North America
  6. American Wool Council
  7. Fur Commission USA
  8. North American Meat Institute
  9. American Lamb Board
  10. National Lamb Feeders Association
  11. American Livestock Conservancy
  12. Animal Shelter (ASPCA)
  13. American Veterinary Medical Association
  14. American Animal Welfare Society
  15. American Animal Control
  16. American Animal Husbandry Society
  17. United States Department of Agriculture

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