Although the following was written by Sir Geoffrey Peren, and others, over 40 years ago, modern Perendale breeders still recognise, in his words, the same characteristics, breeding and management features in the sheep they are producing today.

Professor Peren writes "...the qualities of the Perendale add up to a sheep well suited to satisfy the economic needs of the present day farmer, who must carefully balance his returns against costs of production.

Put briefly, the Perendale offers, above all, "EASY CARE", which means effortless lambing, good mothering and survival, plus excellent fertility. Combined with "easy-care" is great mobility and hardiness.
This means greater speed of mustering and less labour and attention, smaller annual losses and an ability to bounce back from the inevitable hardships of a farming year. There is also a lessened necessity for heavy expenditure on fertiliser and lime.

The easily fattened lambs are without rival for leanness of meat and absence of "over fats". This is very important in a world insisting on lean meat.

The medium-fine white wool is notable for its "bulk", which is resilience or springiness. This is a quality likely to assume ever increasing importance both in the carpet and woollen trades.

Perendale hogget wool consistently tops the cross-bred auctions in New Zealand.

Shearing and crutching costs are lower. It’s excellent digestion of all types of feed and hardy constitution permit higher carrying rates and replacement of the expensive cow.

These advantages and savings when balanced, give the expectation of a net return at least equal to any other breed, and with less effort and more satisfaction".

The Perendale has been a 'controversial' sheep right from the start. It has suffered much criticism from certain quarters. After rapid success and increase in its numbers it has settled to a more static situation, as indeed has the whole sheep breeding industry. Ram breeders who have been used to automatically expecting to sell more and more each year and are tempted to chase fashions of the moment should heed the warning of Sir George Peren who pointed out that while the Perendale goes a long way to fulfil the needs of hill country farming it is not 'perfect', but that attempts to change its major characteristics could also destroy its essential virtues. In other words you could be throwing the baby out with the bath water"!