Corriedale
sheep were developed in New Zealand and Australia during the late 1800s by
crossing Lincoln or Leicester
rams with Merino females. The breeds is now widely found
worldwide and are the most common breed of sheep in South America and are
widely used throughout Asia, North America, and South Africa. They are,
perhaps, the second most populous breed of sheep in the world, after Merinos.
Corriedale sheep are a dual-purpose sheep. They are
large-framed, polled, and have good carcass quality. Although they
traditionally have been used to produce premium lambs when mated to sires of
meat breeds, they are now achieving comparative performance rates with purebred
lambs.
Corriedales
produce bulky, high-yielding wool ranging from 31.5 to 24.5 micron fiber
diameter. The
fleece from mature ewes will weigh from 10 to 17 pounds (4.5-7.7 kg) with a
staple length of 3.5 to 6 inches (9-15 cm). The
yield percent of the fleece ranges from 50 to 60 percent. Mature rams will
weigh from 175 to 275 pounds (79-125 kg), ewe weights range from 130 to 180
pounds (59-81 kg).
About Corriedale Sheep
