The Breed
The Hampshire Down is a modern terminal breed.
Developed in the 1830s the breed has remained true to type whilst also enhancing qualities. The lambs are born with a tight fleece which contributes to their vigorous attitude. They are very hardy, quick to stand up and very eager to suckle. This cuts down on farmers time spent with newborn lambs. They grow quickly, converting good grass efficiently and are excellent early lambs with a high ADG on grass alone, requiring minimal to no concentrates to finish. The rams are lively and long lived. When used on commercial ewes they will produce lambs that are quick to finish and have a good carcase. The quality of the meat is second to none and has been compared to the renowned Wagyu beef with excellent marbling and flavour. |