More than 70% of the sheep in Australia are pure-bred Merinos, the rest are other pure breeds and crossbred. Wool produced from Merino sheep is finer than wool produced from other breeds.
The major Australasian Sheep breeds are the Perendale, Poll Dorset, Coopworth, Corriedale, Polworth, and South Suffolk. The Corriedale and Polworth developed as dual-purpose Sheep and have good wool producing and meat characteristics in addition to good reproductive performance.
Columbia, Corriedale, and Targhee sheep produce high yielding, heavy fleeces and raise lambs with growth and performance qualities. Dual purpose sheep like the Finnsheep and East Friesian are also prolific breeds known for their superior mothering abilities.
Milk Sheep
The most widespread and the most known dairy breed of sheep are East Friesian sheep. Lacaune, known for its hardiness, and Awassi sheep are also known dairy breeds.
In 1797 the first merino sheep were landed in Australia. Unlike earlier breeds, this Spanish variety was much better suited to the Australian environment and was a formidable wool producer.
Born from a prestigious ewe and a £65,000 sire called Garngour Crossman, Double Diamond epitomises the creme de la creme of Texel sheep.
Dorpers are known as a low maintenance, easy care breed which can adapt easily to a variety of conditions, are non-selective graziers and are one of the only breeds that thrive in harsh conditions.
Australia is famous for its excellent quality of wool and a good breed of sheep. Merino sheep are the most influential breed and much prized for its wool.
The Valais blacknose are seldom seen outside their native Switzerland, where they are often referred to as the "world's cutest sheep".
The predominant breed of sheep in Australia is the Merino. The Merino was first introduced into Australia in 1797 and has over the years developed for wool production. It has also been used for cross breeding with British Long Wool & Short Wool Breeds for mutton and prime lamb production. Merino sheep in full wool.
Good Breeds of Sheep for Meat
Charollais. Katahdin. Icelandic Sheep. Tunis Barbari.
By about 1830 there were almost two million Merinos in the country. The original strain bred by Macarthur survives as the Camden Park or Macarthur Merino. The four principal breeds or strains that developed within the Australian Merino group were the Peppin, the Saxon, the South Australian and the Spanish.
'World's cutest sheep' Valais blacknose makes long-awaited flight to Tasmania. It was among a flurry of barking dogs and squeals of children's excitement that a long-awaited sheep called Amy walked regally across the tarmac of a regional airport in Tasmania, and straight into the arms of her new family.
Victoria is Australia's largest sheep meat producer, producing around half (46%) of Australian sheep meat followed by NSW (28%). Victoria's sheep meat production increased by 5 per cent (15,100 tonnes) between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
Nowadays the purebred Damara sheep is a rare breed in Australia due to this continuous cross breeding.
A study of sheep psychology has found man's woolly friend can remember the faces of more than 50 other sheep for up to two years. They can even recognize a familiar human face.
Dorpers are the fastest growing, most heavily muscled hair sheep in the U.S. They are also the woolliest hair breed.
The purpose of the Dorper breed is to produce prime lamb.
They are non-selective grazers and adapt well to a range of Texas conditions. Since the Dorper does not produce wool, it does not need to be sheared.
There are some breeds of sheep that average more than two lambs per litter. In the U.S., the most prolific sheep breeds are Finnsheep and Romanov. The hair sheep breeds (Katahdin, St. Croix, and Barbados Blackbelly) also tend to be quite prolific, with mature ewes averaging more than two lambs per lambing.
Australian White sheep are suitable for a variety of environments and are adaptable to cold and hot climates. Their growth rate is repaid and they finish well on grass. They do not require shearing and negate the need to treat them for parasites.
For a large family I suggest starting with 2 Ewes and a Ram, and eventually growing to 4 Ewes. A Ram is a necessity if your family is focused on self sufficiency as you will need to breed your sheep each year for more milk and meat.
Hair sheep often look a little like goats and are becoming more popular with farmers and ranchers raising sheep specifically for meat or dairy rather than wool. Hair sheep can be better at temperature regulation and are overall lower maintenance since they don't need shearing once or twice a year.