Australian White is a large, white breed of Australian meat sheep which  the result a breed ideally suited to Australian conditions and one which perfectly suits modern Australian lamb market demands. The breed produces hardy, large framed, heavy weight lambs that reach slaughter weights early..

The Australian White sheep are a stabilised composite haired meat breed comprising White Dorper, Van Rooy, Poll Dorset and Texel genetics.

The original design was to be a self-replacing meat sheep that sheds its own hair, can survive in extreme weather conditions (from cold and wet to hot and arid environments), early maturing, and breed year-round.

The formal development of the Australian White breed has taken nine years. During the development of the breed its unique eating qualities were evident; however, it was not until later (November 2016) that the scientific reasons for its excellent eating qualities were discovered by Associate Professor Aduli E.O. Malau-Aduli, PhD. The Australian White sheep can now be found all over the world in countries such as New Zealand, China, Inner Mongolia, and the United States.

Good walkability, combined with strong mothering instincts and a high degree of vigour in lambs; these are all considered essential traits of the Australian White breed.

The Australian White has an open breeding season and is early maturing. The Australian White Sheep matures early in life at around 10-12 months of age. Early maturing breeds are generally more efficient in terms of maintenance, breeding, and growth of lambs for slaughter. Growth rates being achieved between 16-18 weeks of age are 105-115lbs (48-52kg).

Australian White sheep have a quiet temperament and can have low maintenance requirements in various production systems. It is a white sheep with an overall hair pattern and has good shedding ability. They build a thick coat during the winter, and their hair becomes finer post-shedding during the warmer months. It is a relatively large heavy breed, standing over a lot of ground; but one with good mobility and the conformation to ensure its ability to walk freely in large, open range country.

In size, mature sheep are somewhat shorter in stature than Poll Dorsets but significantly taller than White Dorpers, with more leg underneath them. Lamb weights from 3 months of age and onwards are very competitive when measured against all other Australian meat breeds.

A typical Australian White Ram will have a long, straight top line and a deep body with a solid barrel. The ram’s head is more masculine with both good breadth and depth, and his pigment tends to be slightly darker than the ewe’s. The ram’s beam shape slightly tapers near the shoulders.

A typical Australian White Ewe shows good length, depth, and width as well as good twist in the hind legs for great balance. Their heads tend to demonstrate more feminine characteristics with smoother transitions across the skull.