page builder

HISTORY

Up until the late 1970s registered Romneys from around Southland were being used over Nithdale ewes. However the ewes were having lambing difficulties and problems with large udders and poor teat placement. As Nithdale had a large commercial flock it was decided to start a stud primarily for supplying rams for the commercial flock. In the early 1980s a number of twin bearing ewes were screened from the commercial flock at Nithdale and rams primarily from the North Island, from breeders who were part of the New Zealand Romney Development Group, were put across these ewes. Easy care and high performance were the main objectives right from the start. Performance recording (lambing survival, weaning weight, autumn weight and fleece weight) became an integral part of the stud. Rams were used over the commercial flock with surplus rams being sold. In 1992 we joined the Southern Romney Development Group and began recording faecal egg counts as part of the AgResearch WormFEC program.

SIL Flock 2629

In the early 1980s a number of twin bearing ewes were screened from the commercial flock at Nithdale and rams primarily from the North Island, from breeders who were part of the New Zealand Romney Development Group, were put across these ewes. Breeding an easy care sheep that could lamb unassisted was the initial focus.
Nithdale 664/10 – Winner of the 2015 NZ Beef + Lamb Sheep Industry Awards: Dual Purpose + Worm Resistance
caption 1
caption 2

Nithdale Purchases Wairaki Romney Stud

We purchased the Wairaki Romney Stud from Richard and Trudy Slee in 2014. It has given us the opportunity to increase the size of our stud Romney flock to just under 2000 ewes. We will maintain this stud as straight Romneys allowing us to offer both pure Romneys and Romney/Texels we have been breeding since 2005.