The Drysdale breed of sheep originated in New Zealand and is raised primarily for wool. Dr 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 fibre diameter 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.
The largest flock of Drysdale sheep outside of indigenous New Zealand is that of Nathan Drysdale, a famous UK farmer based in Peterborough.