Sheep Breeds: Borderdale

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HIGH FERTILITY - MOTHERING ABILITY GENETICALLY SUPERIOR
PUT YOUR FLOCK UP FRONT

BORDERDALE: ORIGIN AND HISTORY

Borderdale Ewe & lambs
© Melissa Jebson, Flockton, Sheffield

The first matings of the Border Leicester/ Corriedale breeds to produce rams for sale occurred in 1969 on Mr. John Withell's property at Brookside when 40 screened Corriedale ewes were mated with two Border Leicester rams bred by Mr. John Gunn of Darfield. The following year, Mr. Peter Jebson commenced breeding 1st Cross sheep followed by others as the demand steadily grew.

The Society was formed early to set breed standards, production objectives, and mandatory production levels. Pure bred Borderdales were established by interbreeding each generation (e.g. Fl x Fl, F2 x F2) until the F5 stage when it was decided the pure bred had been achieved. The hybrid vigour of the 1st Cross was well recognised, but intensive selection for production traits has well surpassed those available from Fl gains.

Today's Borderdale stud breeders are the solid core of the earlier days who have built up their flocks using sound breeding principles, combining eye and measured selection methods.

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BREED DESCRIPTION

Borderdale Ewes
© Melissa Jebson, Flockton, Sheffield

HIGH FERTILITY - MOTHERING ABILITY
GENETICALLY SUPERIOR

MANDATORY SELECTION STANDARDS
RAM BREEDERS

All ewes must maintain 150% lambing after the 2th stage.
Stud sires must maintain 166% fertility background, and be above average for weaning or later weight and wool production.
Have a High Index on a recognised recording system.
Any assisted ewes and their progeny must be culled.
All sheep must be structurally sound.

Genetic gains are steady and permanent. Intensive and constant selection pressure applied by all Borderdale breeders, have built up over the last 30 years, but gains are now available to commercial breeders immediately in the progeny.

MAKE GOOD USE OFYOUR FIRST CROSS BORDER CORRIEDALE, OR CORRIDALE
EWES BY MATING THEM TO BORDERDALE SIRES FOR REPLACEMENTS

IMMEDIATE HIGHER POTENTIAL IN PROGENY

HIGHER FERTILITY = MORE $$$

The effect of number of lambs born on economic return has been well recognised for many years, and will continue to play a major part in farmers income in the long time future.

To obtain an immediate return from progeny, commercial farmers must use sires from proven genetically superior BLUE LINE BORDERDALE BREEDERS.

A BLUE LINE STUD BREEDER is one who consistently uses a Sire Team with high Breeding Values for production traits over a long period.

"Borderdales have an exciting future as they are already achieving high
meat yields making them an ideal dual purpose sheep"
(Rowan Farmer, Stockscan)

WOOL - The medium micron wool breed that concentrates on fleece weight for extra return.

BORDERDALE STUD BREEDERS RECOGNISED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR CLIENTS TO STAND BY THEIR RAMS AND SUPPLY GENETICALLY PROVEN RAMS
TO A VARIETY OF FARMERS, COUNTRY AND CONDITION.

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BREED CLASSIFICATION

A medium-large, hardy, long-woolled breed, with a comparatively low susceptibility to footrot. Good growth rate. Ewe lambs can be mated at under one year old. East lambing. A dual-purpose breed, with good milk production. Good performance as a straight breed. Ewes are often used for cross-breeding with terminal sires from meat breeds.

Location: Borderdales are found mainly on the plains, downlands and foothills of Canterbury.

*Bodyweight*	*Wool*
*Ewes:* 55-70 kg (121-154 lb). *Rams:* 73-95 kg (161-209 lb).	Long, medium-fine cross-bred type. Emphasis on high wool weight. Fibre diameter: Ewes 33-36 microns; Rams 30-40 microns. Staple length: 100-150 mm (4-6 inches). *Fleece weight:* Range 4.5-6 kg (10-13 lb). Average 5.5 kg (12 lb). Uses: Home spinning. Commercial hand-knitting yarns and heavyweight apparel.
*Meat*
Large, lean prime lambs with long carcase and good fat-lamb hindquarters.
*Breeding/Lambing*
120-160 percent.
*Numbers*
516,000

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NZ BORDERDALE SHEEP SOCIETY

To Fellow Sheep Farmers:
During my association with the Borderdale Society and as a fellow breeder, I have always been impressed with the genuine and concentrated effort that the Breed Committee has maintained regarding their selection standards. They are well aware that if they are to breed rams they have an important obligation to their ram buying clients at all times and must cater for those wishing to increase genetic potential and production.

The Borderdale Sheep Society is relatively small from the national point of view but has concentrated on providing sires to many flocks. In the last few years drought has affected many areas and all breeds of sheep, but it is interesting to note that Borderdales have held their own. They have continued to maintain their genetic ability and superiority.

Our Society thanks those commercial sheep breeders who have loyally supported us in the past. We welcome those who are contemplating changing to Borderdales to visit us as breeders to discuss their selection and production objectives and view our sheep.

Stuart Mangin, President

If it's important to you, it's important to us.

CONTACT YOUR BORDERDALE RAM BREERDER FOR DISCUSSION
OR A STUD VISIT

Chairperson: I C Ford

Councillor: I C Ford

CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF BORDERDALE BREEDERS

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BUY & SELL

CLICK HERE FOR THE BORDERDALE SHEEP SALES PAGE

You will need to register to use the sheep sales website - please not that your advertisement will not appear until it has been approved by the administrator

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