Romney
and Data Coordinator
Stephen Shafer
8 Mynderse Street
Saugerties, NY 12477
Phone: 845/246-7685
The Dual-purpose Breed of the Future
Romney is truly a versatile breed, as demonstrated by its ability to produce quality meat and wool under diverse climate conditions and management systems. It is found in every type of farming environment. This versatile sheep has converted pasture land into heavy hanging weights with lean, quality red meat. Demands for lean carcasses with high meat content and good muscling make it evident that the future of the lamb market rests with breeds that have these attributes. Romney is one of the heaviest wool producers of all breeds. They produce a fleece of high lustre and spinnability. The dual-purpose nature of this breed means greater profits. The American Romney fulfills these needs and will continue to be increasingly important in large and small commercial programs.
Other breeds have gone through several trendy changes but the American Romney remains a truly practical, dual purpose breed which can be the basis of a profitable sheep and wool enterprise.
The American Romney Breeders Association (ARBA), is the registrar for and promoter of Romney sheep in the United States and Canada. ARBA registers both white and natural colored Romneys. Other breeds have gone through several trendy changes but the American Romney remains a truly practical, dual purpose breed which can be the basis of a profitable sheep and wool enterprise. The breed is continually striving for improvement, and the ARBA insists that this improvement come from within the breed.
History
The American Romney Sheep has been developed from the original Romney Marsh breed of the county of Kent, England. By breeding and selection the extremely hardy Romney Marsh sheep, having the characteristics of fast growing lambs and good wool production, was developed under the traditionally rugged climatic conditions of southeastern England. The Romney Marsh sheep were first imported into the United States in 1904 by William Riddell of Monmouth, Oregon.
The Romney will continue to be important in new breed development and crossbreeding programs because it is still a “pure” breed and has not been adulterated by outcrosses as have many U.S. breeds today.