Meat
Romney
B tier
Romney Marsh sheep evolved on wet English grazing, combining a long lustrous fleece with a hardy constitution and moderate meat yield. The breed travelled extensively to New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest, where Romney and Romney-cross flocks still form the backbone of dual-purpose pastoral systems. Lamb from Romney ewes is balanced rather than extreme—good leg and shoulder joints, adequate loin depth, and a gentle grassy flavour when raised on ryegrass-clover swards. It suits everyday roasting, stews, and mince programmes; terminal sires are often used when retail demands heavier muscling.
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Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Longwool sheep thrived on the Romney Marsh wetlands of Kent and Sussex.
Flock books recorded Romney Marsh sheep as a distinct improved longwool breed.
Large-scale exports established Romney as New Zealand’s dominant dual-purpose sheep.
Romney maternal lines underpinned commercial lamb exports from temperate grassland nations.