Elliottdale
The Eliottdale is a breed of domestic sheep originating from Tasmania. It is a carpet wool breed raised primarily for its wool. Due to the amount of wool grown by the Eliottdale, it needs to be shorn twice per year. Characteristics The wool has a fibre diameter of 38 - 40 microns. At each shearing, the wool is approximately in length and weighs about . On average, rams weigh and ewes weigh at maturity. Rams can be horned or polled (hornless). Ewes are always polled. The breed is uni-colored and white. History The Elliottdale is a dual purpose meat/wool sheep. When the flock was at the Elliott Research station (Tasmania) it was performance recorded, and breeding indices were developed by geneticists for both wool and meat. Though current breeders do not have the resources to continue this methodology, one has used traditional stud phenotypic selection, with an emphasis on confirmation, and carcass market suitability, as this is where the economics of the [sheep] enterprise is based at present. In the late 1980s the World Sheep Convention and Show was held in Launceston, Tasmania. It can be argued that the Elliottdale breed was the most successful breed in the carcass competitions