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It is thought the Border Leicester evolved on the English-Scottish border, from the English Leicester
and Cheviot. The English geneticist Robert Blakewell's improvement to the English Leicester in the 1700
also had an influence. The breed arrived in New Zealand in 1859.
After refrigeration was introduced in the 1880s, the Border Leicester was used as a crossing sire
to produce heavyweight lambs and wether mutton. Noted for its high fertility and good mothering qualities,
today the Border Leicester is used to increase fertility of commercial Romney and Corriedale flocks.
It has been used to develop New Zealand's Border-Romney cross (Coopworth)
and the Border-Corriedale cross (Borderdale).
The wool is long and lustrous with individual staples easily separated and ending ins a small curl.
It is used for upholstery, hand-knotted and machine-made carpet yarns and hand-knitting wools.
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Classification:
Dual-purpose breed mostly used for creating crossbred ewes. Long,
coarse, lustrous wool.
Found:
Widespread throughout New Zealand mainly in ram-breeding flocks.
Description:
Large, long-legged sheep with clear white face and legs. Roman nose.
Numbers:
110,00
Body weight:
Ewes: 55–65 kg
Rams: 70–85 kg
Wool production:
Fibre diameter: 37–40 microns
Staple length: 150–200
mm
Fleece weight: 4.5–6 kg
Lamb production:
110–160 per cent
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