Raupuha Perendale

Our Foundation Flock

The Perendale was developed at Massey University in the 1950s by Professor Geoffrey Peren, who crossed Cheviot rams over Romney ewes. The aim was an easy care sheep for New Zealand hill country. Perendales are active, hardy and good mothers. They have open faces and clean points, and produce lean lambs and a bulky mid-micron fleece. They do well everywhere from hard hill country to fertile flats. Russell Profitt is currently Chair of the Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand.

Our breeding philosophy

FE tolerance first. We test at the top 0.6 mg/kg dose rate, and we’re FE Gold accredited.
Easy care and maternal. We select for lamb survival, ewe longevity and lambs that thrive without assistance. Ewes are never drenched, and we do minimal drenching in the lambs (season dependent for lambs).
Worm resistance. We value minimal worms and dags - we’re WormFEC Gold accredited.
Genomics behind every ram. Every lamb is DNA parentage tested, and the whole flock is fully genomic tested.
Connected data. We share rams with other breeders and run progeny trials so our figures link nationally through SIL and nProve.
Data focus. We collect as much data as possible - if it can be measured, we record it.
Commercial conditions. Our Perendales are run with the Romdales, except for mating.
Sound and healthy. All rams are tested clear of brucellosis each year and leave the farm with a quarantine drench and up to date vaccinations.