[5] Their white wool tends to be very long and by Merino standards, broad crimped, and in fineness about 32 to 38 microns, and is used for medium- to heavy-weight garments.

The United States, Australian and New Zealand Border Leicesters very rarely sport the extreme of British flocks.

[6] Border Leicesters are all white with a distinct long body, well-developed chest, well-sprung ribs and a wide, strong back.

[5] The head and legs should be free of wool and only covered in short white hair making it easier for shearing.

[8] The Dishley Leicester was created and bred by Robert Bakewell (1726-1795) by crossing the old lincolnshire breed with the leicestershire type sheep.

Border Leicester sheep have been exported to British Guiana, Canada, China, Colombia, South Africa, France, Spain, Portugal, United States, India, Japan, Yugoslavia, Iran, Hungary, Russia, Turkey and Switzerland.

Border Leicester rams are used for mating with Merino ewes to breed the first-cross mothers that are so valuable for the production of prime lambs.

Poll Dorset or Southdown) to produce prime lambs, which grow rapidly to market weights and have the ideal carcase shape.

[11] The breed was imported into New Zealand in 1859, and after refrigeration was introduced in the 1880s, the Border Leicester was used as a crossing sire to produce heavyweight lambs and wether mutton.