Drysdale

Conservation status	FAO (2007): endangered[1]: 147  DAD-IS (2021): unknown[2][3]
Country of origin	New Zealand
Use	meat wool
Traits
Weight	Male: 90–110 kg[4]: 14  Female: 55–70 kg[4]: 17
Wool colour	white
Face colour	white
Horn status	polled
Sheep Ovis aries

The Drysdale is a New Zealand breed of sheep. It was developed from 1931 by Francis Dry, and derives from sheep of the New Zealand Romney breed in which a mutation caused the coat to be particularly hairy, and thus suitable for carpet-making.^[5]: xl It is a specialised carpet wool breed, but also a useful meat breed.^[4]: 31

Francis Dry in 1931 noticed a genetic freak, a Romney ram with a high percentage of very coarse wool. Crossing two Romneys and Cheviots resulted in a sheep with a lot of coarse fleece which is about 6 kg (13 lb) with a 40 microns^[6] fibre diameter^[7] and a staple of 200 to 300 mm (7.9 to 11.8 in). The coarse wool gene causes both male and female Drysdales to be horned. The male's horn resembles a Wiltshire ram's horn whereas the ewe's horns are very small - usually only 8 to 9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 in) in length. Live weight is 60–70 kg.

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