Southdown Sheep Society, NZ

"The sheep with an illustrious past and a very bright future"

Member Login

  • Rural News

    • Tide turning on TAF? 21/02/2012
      A GROWING number of Fonterra shareholders are questioning the wisdom of pursuing TAF (trading among farmers) despite the board's continued insistence it […]
    • Prime land under threat 21/02/2012
      PRIME ARABLE farming land is shrinking under pressure from urban sprawl and ETS, says Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills. Farmers are increasing yields by […]
    • DIRA misinformation a worry 21/02/2012
      AGRICULTURE MINISTER David Carter has accused Fonterra and the Fonterra Shareholders Council of initially spreading misinformation about the new DIRA regulation […]
    • OAD best way to keep NZ’s edge 21/02/2012
      ONCE-A-DAY (OAD) milking is the only way New Zealand will retain its competitive advantage, Small Herds Association field day participants were told last week a […]

  • Farming News

    • New hope for kiwifruit growers
      A new gold kiwifruit showing good tolerance to the devastating disease Psa-V is shaping up as the first relief in the recovery process for the former blue chip $1.3 billion export industry. […]
    • PDI looks to $75m investment
      Pastoral Dairy Investments (PDI) says it is seeking to raise at least $75 million to invest in New Zealand dairy farms both through a $25m initial public offering and by targeting other investors including charitable organisations for the other $50m. […]
    • Fonterra chairman mum on share-trading scheme
      Fonterra chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden will not respond publicly to growing farmer demands for a second vote on the contentious proposal for share trading among farmers, despite the threat of an extraordinary shareholders meeting and a website launch. […]

The Southdown Sheep

The Southdown sheep is uniquely different from any other breed. It is characterised by its body shape and size, wool type, head shape and face and leg colour.

We have several pages devoted to various aspects of ‘our’ breed and over time hope to add more pages here including information about the Southdown breed’s history in New Zealand, stories about breeders who have had a prominent influence on our breed as well as more information relevant to todays breeders.

Below are links to the various sections at present;

Breed History – Since the Agricultural Revolution (1700′s) to the present day no breed has contributed more to the advancement to the sheep meat industry than the Southdown. Almost without exception every British meat breed has used the Southdown to Establish or improve their breed. [read on]

Standard of Excellence – A Southdown sheep is uniquely different from any other breed. It is characterised by its body shape and size, wool type, head shape and face and leg colour. [read on]