Wiltipoll sheep in Tasmania

The Wiltipoll breed was established in Australia in 1993 but came to Tasmania only in 2003.

Wiltipoll sheep are unique as they are based on the ancient Wiltshire Horn sheep, renowned for its hardiness and superior taste as a lean prime lamb.

Wiltipoll sheep, however, have the advantage that they don’t have horns. They don’t get caught in fences, don’t cause any carcass bruising and are not subjected to penalties for horns at the abattoir.

As a shedding breed – they are low maintenance: no shearing, crutching or controversial mulesing is required. Tail docking is not necessary either. Wiltipoll sheep are lice and flystrike resistant, they don’t need any chemicals typically required for wool sheep. This makes Wiltipoll sheep the ideal breed for certified organic prime lamb producers.

Wiltipolls are hardy sheep. Their black hooves are very resistant to footroot – a great advantage when they’re kept in areas with heavy winter rainfalls, typical for Tasmania.

There is more and more interest in Tasmania for Wiltipoll sheep as they are not classified as an ‘exotic breed’ like other shedding sheep such as the Dorper, Damara, Awassi and Karakul breed. The Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment points out that these particular breeds of sheep are rated by the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) as being in the highest risk category for producing these fibres and are therefore prescribed as a class of animal under Schedule 1 of the Animal (Farming) Registration Regulations 1995. Wiltipoll sheep, however, are classed as a “Downs’ breed in the 2010-2012 AWEX code of practice. A significant advantage when crossbreeding with other wool sheep. For example, cross breeding with Merino sheep will result in lambs with a bare face, head, throat, belly and crutch and very little moulting.

All these qualities make Wiltipoll sheep the ideal shedding sheep for Tasmania – for more information please don’t hesitate to contact us at Misima Stud!