About Us

History

During the mid 1960’s growing out of frustration with the Romneys of the day, Border Leicester rams were put across the Romney flock. Heartened by the lift in performance and the easier care of the cross bred progeny, when the Coopworth Breed Society was formed in 1968, the Marlow stud was established.
Right from the beginning, the Coopworth Society required objective performance recording with selection and culling based on that measured performance.

Objectives

Marlow pursues the usual Coopworth objectives with a strong emphasis on growth, meat and survival. Breeding for facial eczema tolerance has been a high priority for 15 years and now all sheep are sired by rams passing the Ramguard test nil at 6. New technologies are employed such as ultrasound and CT scanning, EID tagging and genetic testing seeking genes of interest and identifying unwanted genes.
The aim is to maximise net sheep returns per hectare and head for this farm and for client’s properties.
The Marlow stud is a member of SIL, New Zealand Ovine Sire Reference (NZOSR), FE Gold and a contributor to AgResearch’s SNP, efficiency and survival research programmes.

About Us

At Marlow Genetics, we’re a family-run Coopworth stud based in the heart of Central Hawke’s Bay. Our focus is on breeding practical, resilient sheep with proven genetics for worm resistance, facial eczema tolerance, and productivity in real farming conditions. With a balance of science, innovation, and hands-on stockmanship, we’re passionate about delivering sheep that perform for farmers today and into the future.