Perendale
Encyclopedia
The Perendale is a breed of sheep
developed in New Zealand
by Massey Agricultural College (now Massey University
) for use in steep hill situations. The breed is named after Sir Geoffrey Peren and it achieves its aims by being the offspring of Romney
ewes and Cheviot
rams with sturdy legs. It is raised primarily for meat.
Developed from the Cheviot and Romney, the Perendale is a dual-purpose sheep producing wool fibres of 28-32 micrometres diameter with a 125 mm (5 in) staple length. The Perendale is characteristically a high fertility animal, and has great potential to produce a prime ewe lamb when crossed with the Merino. As a purebred, its hardiness makes it ideally suited to colder, high rainfall areas. The Perendale is easy to care for; the ewes have little trouble lambing and are good mothers.
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
developed in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by Massey Agricultural College (now Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
) for use in steep hill situations. The breed is named after Sir Geoffrey Peren and it achieves its aims by being the offspring of Romney
Romney (sheep)
The Romney, formerly called the Romney Marsh sheep but generally referred-to by the local farmers as the Kent, is a breed of sheep originating in England. The Romney is a "long-wool" breed recognized in England by 1800...
ewes and Cheviot
Cheviot sheep
The Cheviot is a breed of white faced sheep which gets its name from a range of hills in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. It is still common in this area of the United Kingdom, but also in north west Scotland, Wales and the south west of England as well as more rarely in Australia,...
rams with sturdy legs. It is raised primarily for meat.
History
Since the early 1980s the flock numbers of this sheep has reduced mainly because hill-country farming has lessened, there has been a lower demand for medium-coarse wool, and because modern Romneys are more adaptable to the terrain.Developed from the Cheviot and Romney, the Perendale is a dual-purpose sheep producing wool fibres of 28-32 micrometres diameter with a 125 mm (5 in) staple length. The Perendale is characteristically a high fertility animal, and has great potential to produce a prime ewe lamb when crossed with the Merino. As a purebred, its hardiness makes it ideally suited to colder, high rainfall areas. The Perendale is easy to care for; the ewes have little trouble lambing and are good mothers.