Border Leicester
Encyclopedia
The Border Leicester is a breed
of sheep
originating in England and raised primarily for meat. Border Leicesters are polled, long-wool
ed sheep. Though large in size and robust, they are also docile. The breed has been exported to other sheep producing regions such as Australia and the U.S.
tends to be very long and by Merino
standards, broad crimp
ed (about 32 to 38 microns), and is used for medium to heavy weight garments. This wool, though, is prized by spinners because of the crimp and lustre. The sheep are normally shorn twice a year when the wool has reached a length of around 100 mm (3.9 in). Lambs when shorn have an average of 1.8 kg (4 lb) of wool; yearlings have a larger body and can have as much as 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) at each shearing. The U.S., Australian and New Zealand Border Leicesters very rarely sport the extreme rabbit-like ears of British flocks. All strains of Border Leicesters are known for their docility.
, England. Their name derives from the fact that their birthplace is near the border with Scotland, and their foundation stock were Dishley Leicester rams. The ewes used were either Teeswater
or Cheviot, though which one exactly is often disputed. They were a fairly common breed in the U.K. by the 19th century.
, Canada, China, Colombia, South Africa, France, Spain, Portugal, United States, India, Japan, Yugoslavia, Iran, Hungary, Russia, Turkey and Switzerland.
Border Leicester sheep were imported to Australia in 1871, where they now have a large number of stud flocks. Border Leicester rams are used for mating with Merino
ewes to breed the first-cross mothers that are so valuable for the production of prime lambs. Border Leicester Merino cross ewes produced in this way offer the greatest overall performance when breeding meat type sheep, with a well proportioned carcase, high fertility, good foraging ability and good milk
production.
Border Leicester Merino cross ewes are mated to shortwool rams (e.g. Poll Dorset
or Southdown
) to produce prime lambs, which grow rapidly to market weights and have the ideal carcase shape. The vast majority of Australian lambs produced for meat are bred in this manner.
Border Leicester sheep also contribute about 50 percent of the genetics used in the Gromark
breed of sheep that were developed in Australia.
The breed was imported into New Zealand in 1859, and after refrigeration was introduced in the 1880s, the Border Leicester was used as a crossing sire to produce heavyweight lambs and wether mutton. The Border Leicester was later used to develop New Zealand's Border-Romney cross (Coopworth) and the Border-Corriedale (Borderdale) breeds.
The first breed association was formed in 1888 in the U.S. Currently, there are two associations: American Border Leicester Association and the North American Border Leicester Association. Breeders show their sheep at county shows and fairs throughout the year with a National Show being held annually at the North American International Livestock Exposition
held in Louisville, Kentucky
every November.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of sheep
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
originating in England and raised primarily for meat. Border Leicesters are polled, long-wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
ed sheep. Though large in size and robust, they are also docile. The breed has been exported to other sheep producing regions such as Australia and the U.S.
Description
The live weight of a mature Border Leicester ram will be in the range of 140–175 kg (308.6–385.8 lb) and a mature ewe 90–120 kg (198.4–264.6 lb). A yearling ewe is around 64 kg (141.1 lb). Their white woolWool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
tends to be very long and by Merino
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
standards, broad crimp
Crimp
Crimp may refer to:*Crimp , a small hold with little surface area*Crimp , a bent corner of a card to facilitate cheating*Crimp , a deformity in metal used to make a join...
ed (about 32 to 38 microns), and is used for medium to heavy weight garments. This wool, though, is prized by spinners because of the crimp and lustre. The sheep are normally shorn twice a year when the wool has reached a length of around 100 mm (3.9 in). Lambs when shorn have an average of 1.8 kg (4 lb) of wool; yearlings have a larger body and can have as much as 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) at each shearing. The U.S., Australian and New Zealand Border Leicesters very rarely sport the extreme rabbit-like ears of British flocks. All strains of Border Leicesters are known for their docility.
History
The Border Leicester was developed in 1767 in NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England. Their name derives from the fact that their birthplace is near the border with Scotland, and their foundation stock were Dishley Leicester rams. The ewes used were either Teeswater
Teeswater (sheep)
The Teeswater is a breed of sheep from Teesdale, United Kingdom. It is a longwool breed of sheep, which produces a generally large-diameter fibre. The breed is raised primarily for meat....
or Cheviot, though which one exactly is often disputed. They were a fairly common breed in the U.K. by the 19th century.
Internationally
Registered flocks are now found in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Border Leicester sheep have been exported to British GuianaBritish Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
, Canada, China, Colombia, South Africa, France, Spain, Portugal, United States, India, Japan, Yugoslavia, Iran, Hungary, Russia, Turkey and Switzerland.
Border Leicester sheep were imported to Australia in 1871, where they now have a large number of stud flocks. Border Leicester rams are used for mating with Merino
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
ewes to breed the first-cross mothers that are so valuable for the production of prime lambs. Border Leicester Merino cross ewes produced in this way offer the greatest overall performance when breeding meat type sheep, with a well proportioned carcase, high fertility, good foraging ability and good milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
production.
Border Leicester Merino cross ewes are mated to shortwool rams (e.g. Poll Dorset
Poll Dorset
The Poll Dorset is a short wool, meat producing sheep that was developed in Australia between 1937 and 1954 with the aim of breeding a true Dorset type sheep without horns. The poll gene was introduced into Dorset Horn flocks from two other polled breeds and following a strict back-mating programme...
or Southdown
Southdown (sheep)
The Southdown is a small, dual purpose British sheep but is raised primarily for meat. The Southdown breed was originally bred by John Ellman of Glynde, near Lewes, East Sussex about 200 years ago. His work was continued by Jonas Webb of Babraham in Cambridgeshire who developed the larger animal...
) to produce prime lambs, which grow rapidly to market weights and have the ideal carcase shape. The vast majority of Australian lambs produced for meat are bred in this manner.
Border Leicester sheep also contribute about 50 percent of the genetics used in the Gromark
Gromark (sheep)
Gromark sheep are a large-framed, plain bodied dual-purpose breed of sheep that were under development in 1965 by Arthur C. Godlee at "Marengo", Tamworth, New South Wales...
breed of sheep that were developed in Australia.
The breed was imported into New Zealand in 1859, and after refrigeration was introduced in the 1880s, the Border Leicester was used as a crossing sire to produce heavyweight lambs and wether mutton. The Border Leicester was later used to develop New Zealand's Border-Romney cross (Coopworth) and the Border-Corriedale (Borderdale) breeds.
The first breed association was formed in 1888 in the U.S. Currently, there are two associations: American Border Leicester Association and the North American Border Leicester Association. Breeders show their sheep at county shows and fairs throughout the year with a National Show being held annually at the North American International Livestock Exposition
North American International Livestock Exposition
North American International Livestock Exposition is a livestock show held each November in Louisville, Kentucky and lasts for two weeks. It is billed as the "world's largest all-breed, purebred livestock exposition", with nine major livestock divisions with competitors from the 48 contiguous states...
held in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
every November.