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The Drysdale is a story of science. Research by geneticist and hair biologist Dr. Francis Dry at
Massey University during the 1930s and 1940s led to the discovery of the inheritance of hairiness. It
was found that certain Romneys carried a powerful gene that produced a fleece with large, medullated
primary fibres and horn growth on a normally hornless parent breed. In the 1950s the genetic freak was
commercially developed as the Drysdale and its wool has now replaced the Scottish Blackface imports
as the hard fibre component of our carpet blends.
Despite being a speciality carpet wool producer, the Drysdale maintains a quality meat standard.
Tukidales and Carpetmasters, other strains developed since the Drysdale, have similar wool characteristics.
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Classification:
Dual-purpose breed with equal emphasis on meat and wool. Heavily
medullated, extremely coarse, long wool. Good quality, lean meat.
Found:
Widespread throughout New Zealand in almost all environments. Also in
Australia.
Description:
Medium-to-large sheep with white face and logs usually clear of
wool. Rams have heavy horns while ewes have short horns.
Numbers:
600,000
Body weight:
Ewes: 50–60 kg
Rams: 66–80 kg
Wool production:
Fibre diameter: 40+ microns
Staple length: 200–300 mm
Fleece
weight: 5–7 kg
Lamb production:
90–120 per cent
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