About Herbert Sheep

Wild sheep or bushies have long been known to occur inrnthe area around the headwaters of the Waianakarua River, inland from Herbertrnand Hampden, in North Otago, NZ. This area is at the southern end of thernKakanui Mountains and the northern end of the Horse Range. They originated from stragglers that escaped muster on sheep farms, and although occasionallyrnshot, were largely left alone. From about the 1970s serious efforts were madernto eradicate these feral animals, partly to facilitate development of some ofrnthe land, and partly because of the perceived damage they were causing tornpatches of native forest. About this time, some were re-domesticated, largelyrnfor their novelty value.

rnrnAlthough these sheep are generally referred to as the Herbert breed - named after the Herbert Forest plantation of exotic pinerntrees planted in the foothills - they have also been called Waianakarua sheeprnfrom the river that flows through the area, and even Kakanui from thernsouthern end of the mountain range, part of which forms the catchment of the River.

rnrnThere are few of these sheep in domestication, and nornstudies have been made of them.

rnrnContent and Photo Source:rnNew Zealand Rare Breeds (www.rarebreeds.co.nz). rnrn