 Wiltshire
Horn sheep are the first of the new breeds of
meat sheep in Australia to have features
demanded by the modern prime lamb industry -
leanness, muscling, large frame, high fertility.
The rams are used in successful
cross-breeding with many other breeds including
Merino, Perendale, Dorper, Suffolk and Border
Leicester. Wiltshire cross lambs have performed
extremely well in carcase competitions and in
the sale yards.
The breed is strong and
hardy, will do well in poor country, and has
thrived from Southern Tasmania to Queensland to
south west Australia, from cold to tropics and
from high rainfall areas to desert. In many
areas of climatic extremes Wiltshires are the
first sheep that have been successfully
introduced.
The breed has intelligence
and good temperament and the ewes are extremely
good mothers, easily raising triplets (which are
common). Because the sheep shed their wool they
are very easy care and production costs are low.
Their breed features also make them ideal for
the family farm.
Attention to breeding
in recent years has continued to improve breed
characteristics.
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