Our Heritage Breeds
There are currently 10 heritage breeds of sheep in
Australia: Dorset Horn, Dorset Down, Shropshire,
Hampshire Down, Southdown, Ryeland, Cheviot, Romney,
English Leicester and Lincoln.
All ten of the heritage breeds arrived in Australia before
1945, with some arriving in the late 1800s, and all
originated in the UK.
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They represent a rare piece of biodiversity, that once
gone cannot be replaced. They bring with them traits that have helped them last through the decades and allowed them to stand the test of time, thriving in their local environment.
Heritage breeds are noted for their robust health, foraging abilities, adaptation to climate changes, mothering instincts, ability to mate naturally and resistance to disease and parasites. But many of these breeds are now on the brink of extinction as modern agriculture changes the face of farming moving more towards "trends" than longevity.​
The heritage breeds have had quite an impact with regards to the breeding of other sheep:
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Ryeland and Corriedale have been crossed with Dorset Horn to produce the Poll Dorset
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Lincoln has been crossed with Merino to produce Corriedale
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Lincoln was crossed with early Saxon Merino to produce Polwarth. A second crossback to Merino in the late 1800s became a true type Polwarth, described today as 3/4 Merino, 1/4 Lincoln
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Southdown has been crossed with Texel to produce Aussiedown
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Romney has been crossed with Cheviot to produce Perendale
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Romney has been crossed with Cheviot to also produce Drysdale
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Southdown has been crossed with Suffolk to produce South Suffolk
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Dorset Down has been crossed with Southdown to produce the South Dorset Down
The heritage breeds have also been important in their own right as dominant sheep in the early days of the Australian sheep industry and still retain an important place. Most importantly, they provide an ongoing source of diversity.
Breed Information
