In Australia Border Leicester rams are used to mate with Merino ewes mainly for the ewe progeny which in turn are used to breed high quality prime lambs and lots of them.  These ewes are know as 1st cross ewes and are often sold at premium breeders sales around Australia.

If only IQborder rams were used to produce the 1st cross ewes then they can be labelled as IQxbred.  This label identifies that the breeder has chosen to use rams of high genetic merit that will pass on their genetics to their 1st cross daughters giving a strong indication that they are productive ewes.

1st cross ewes have cemented their position in the prime lamb industry over several decades because they produce such good lambs and are very well suited to a range of rainfall areas.  The Border Leicester and the Merino are very different sheep and when mated together they create a huge amount of hybrid vigour giving large productivity increases yet still producing a very even line of lambs.

The only way to improve on such a successful cross bred is to use the best genetics you can find and you can be assured that an IQxbred contains some of the best Border Leicester genetics available.

If you are a prime lamb producer and are unable to source a line of IQxbred ewes, please get in touch and we may be able to refer you to one of our clients.