The back should be straight with good length and a flat loin, blending smoothly from the base of the neck and ending in a minimal slope. The Coopworth sheep have been selected on visual criteria, carcass and frame attributes, wool quality and measured performance. Your email address will not be published. These sheep are used for wool and meat, weighing up to 55kg as adults 1. General- Coopworth sheep are sturdy animals with a strong bone structure and well-balanced, capacious bodies. Learn how your comment data is processed. General- Because selection has historically been based on measured performance, rather than phenotype, several wool styles are acceptable within the breed. The breed makes up the second largest flock in New Zealand. Multiple births are most common and the Coopworth ewe will provide an abundance of milk for her lambs. The ewes make excellent mothers with good maternal instincts and they usually have multiple births. Quantity- Annual fleece production should be eight pounds or more for ewes, and 12 pounds or more for rams. The ewes lamb easily and very few indeed have to be assisted as there is little or no bearing trouble. The purpose behind these experiments was the realisation by research workers and some farmers at that time that the New Zealand lambing percentages were not high enough. The fleece, with pointed locks and bright luster, has a well-defined crimp averaging 3.5 crimps per inch and a fiber diameter of 35 to 39 microns. Turkey, About Us Wild n Woolly Farm: Coopworth Sheep and Scottish Highland Cattle, raw & dyed wool, spinning, knitting, and felting supplies! Coopworth wool is excellent for the beginner spinner, it almost spins itself! It was shortly after WWII, in New Zealand, when Professor Ian Coop began to selectively crossbreed Border Leicester rams on Romney ewes. It comes in various colors and has a a sturdy medium feel, yet it’s soft enough for next-to-skin wear. Ostrich The Coopworth is known for its productivity and easy care characteristics. The Coopworth sheep are hardy animals, and they are well suited to almost all climates. Along with it’s native area, the Coopworth sheep also performed well in Australia from the wet, cold country of Tasmania and Victoria to hot country of Riverina of NSW and Western part of the country. The lambs grow well on grass making this breed ideal for low-input, pasture-based systems. The Coopworth Sheep is a hardy, durable and highly productive sheep breed from New Zealand. The micron count ranges from approximately 46-50, with an average staple length of 5-8 inches. The crimp should be well defined from the base of the lock to the tip. Disclaimer However, only one style should be present on the body of a particular animal and it should be uniform throughout. Length- Annual fleece length should be 6-8 inches. Both white and natural colored Coopworths are accepted for registration. Legs- Front legs should be straight and wide-set. And at the Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station, further extensive investigations were carried out. They have generally clean and long face with small topknot or bare head and a slightly Roman nose. His purpose was to improve lambing percentages. Their front legs should be straight and wide set, while the rear legs should have a slight natural curve from a side view. Quail Their body is long with a good loin and hindquarter, light forequarter and a wide pelvis. However, review full breed profile of the Coopworth sheep in the following chart. Yes, it’s common in most cases. Deer Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill has been providing custom fiber processing since 1997. Character- The high yielding fleece should be uniformly crimped overall with a soft hand. Always, the selection and culling of progeny was based on recorded performance. The staple length is about six inches and perfect for hand-spinning. They are easy to care for and are excellent foragers. By 1968, it was determined that the successive generations of the interbred sheep had produced a medium sized, highly prolific, dual purpose, adaptable sheep and it was … The wool is well crimped with a bright luster. His purpose was to improve lambing percentages. Rear legs should have a slight natural curve from a side view, and be straight and wide spread from a rear view. They are raised for both meat and wool production. They stand a bit taller than the New Zealand Romney and exhibit heavier muscling than the Border Leicester. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Mature ewes live body weight is between 64 and 80 kg, and the mature ram’s live body weight vary from 80 to 125 kg. Body- The forequarter should be light and the shoulders level with the back. They are good for both wool and meat production . They are slightly taller than the NZ Romney sheep and exhibit heavier muscling than the Border Leicester sheep. Rabbit An otherwise good sheep should not be disqualified if the hooves exhibit some light color, although black is most desirable. The Coopworth breed of sheep was developed by a team of scientists at Lincoln College (now Lincoln University) in Canterbury, New Zealand, to increase lambing percentages of Romney ewes when mated with Border Leicester rams. Duck In addition, the Coopworth has an alert but calm and confident disposition. It is one of the most dominant breeds in New Zealand. The breed is very popular in it’s native area and it makes up the second largest flock there. -fiber content: 100% Coopworth wool. We facilitate the exchange of information between members to help them better raise their flocks and promote their products. Color- The fleece should be free of stains. Our purpose is to preserve and protect the Coopworth breed of sheep in North America by developing a breed standard, keeping pedigree information and registering sheep that qualify as purebred Coopworth. Sheep, Bee Multiple births are most common and the ewes will provide an abundance of milk for their lambs. Chicken The Coopworth is a medium sized, dual-purpose, white faced sheep with an alert but quiet disposition. Several wool styles are acceptable within the breed.