Corriedale Sheep

History of Corriedale Sheep:  The Corriedale hails from New Zealand, land of many sheep. During the 1880s, James Little, manager of the Corriedale Estate on South Island, worked to develop a dual-purpose meat and wool sheep breed by crossing Merino ewes with English Lincoln or Leicester rams. In 1914, the breed made its way to the United States, and a few years later breeders founded the American Corriedale Association. Today, the Corriedale (pronounced Kor-e-dal) is one of the most numerous sheep breeds in the world.

Conformation:  This polled, large-framed breed has a warm, dense covering of bulky wool on its body and legs in white and a range of natural colors from black to silver. A wool-free face and horizontal ears poke out of the Corriedale’s wooly head. Rams weigh around 175 to 275 pounds and ewes run about 130 to 180 pounds. The early-maturing ewes have a high rate of giving birth to multiples and tend to produce healthy, fast-growing lambs.

Special Consideration/Notes on Corriedale Sheep:  Corriedale fans describe this breed as adaptable to a range of management situations and regions. Indeed, this breed can be found throughout the world, including such diverse places as Asia, North and South America, and South Africa.