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Our
Mixed age Ewes just after weaning lambs.
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Origin
and History
The
British Wiltshire is one of the oldest surviving sheep breeds.
Originally thought to have been brought to Britain by the
Romans, it resembles the ancestral sheep that existed in
medieval times, from which arose the other white-faced,
short-wool breeds found in the south of England. Until about
the end of the eighteenth century the Wiltshire Horn was
the predominant breed to be found on the Wiltshire Downs,
after which it was named. It was used in the development
of other Down breeds, such as the Oxford, Hampshire and
Dorset. |
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many breeds it eventually fell from favour, and became classified
as a Rare Breed in Britain. The Poll Wiltshire was evolved
in Australia by crossing Poll Dorset rams with Wiltshire Horn
ewes, then backcrossing to Wiltshire Horns. The majority of
sheep in the country are of the poll variety. |
Ewe
with triplets at foot |
Breed
Characteristics
An
unusual breed in that it has very little wool, which it
sheds annually, so it has no dags and a very low susceptibility
to fly strike. . The fleece is of no value and is of a very
large micron diameter (your local birds will collect it
from your paddocks for nesting material).
A
strong foraging ability and long legs make it particularly
well suited to roaming over wide areas, and it does well
in arid climates and on poor pastures with little shade.
Primarily a meat breed, they produce a very lean large carcase.
Rams are used as terminal sires for crossbreeding.
These
are a variety of sheep, which moult their fleece during
spring each year. Today they have just emerged from the
"rare/novelty" class and are being used for crossbreeding
by fat lamb producers as well as being the ideal low maintenance
sheep for "hobby" farmers. |
Other
positive attributes are hard black hooves (which are foot-rot
resistant); high rate of twins (we have a lambing rate of
over 200% with our flock); easy lambing. Obviously, as they
moult their fleece, little or no shearing or crutching is
required. |
Wiltshire's
at Hoon Hay Valley
We
purchased our first Wiltshire (160 breeding ewes) in 1999.
Ever since then we have engaged in a rigorous breeding and
culling program with the main emphasis towards fully bald,
self shedding sheep.
Today
our breeding flock consists of about 100 ewes, all
of them fully bald. |
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All
our breeding rams are 100% bald and only of multiple birth
heritage. Our lambing percentages vary between 210% and
240%.
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Ewe flock at Hoon Hay Valley |
None
of our hoggets or Ewes are ever crutched, shorn or cleaned
up. What you see is what you get. We are one of only very
few Wiltshire breeders with the prime emphasis on baldness.
We
retain a largely organic livestock management system and
our animals are naturally resistant to health problems.
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BREEDING
STOCK FOR SALE – available now!
All prices include GST!
Ewes
Rams
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Two-tooth
Rams at Hoonhay Valley
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Lowline
CattleWiltshire
Sheep
www.rarebreeds.co.nz
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