Australian merino
The Australian Merino is a breed of fine wool sheep bred in Australia by crossing the American Vermont and the French Rambouillet.
Description of Australian Merino
These sheep are smaller in comparison with beef breeds and are distinguished by a very high quality, delicious wool, consisting of very fine and soft hairs. The thickness of one hair does not exceed the thickness of a human.
The fleece of these sheep is highly prized. It is significant that one Australian merino is capable of producing 3 times more wool than any other sheep.
The origin of the breed
The Australian merino is a very old breed, the ancestors of these sheep lived in Asia Minor. Merinos were bred in Spain (los merinos) in the 13th century. as a result of crossing local sheep with North African breeds and sheep from the Middle East. These animals were recognized as a national value, and their export was banned for a long time on pain of death.
Only in the 18th century. after the weakening of the Spanish kingdom, which came out defeated from the war with Great Britain, several merino were taken to other European countries and to Australia, where further improvement continued. Spanish sheep were taken as the basis for the breeding process. Then the Rambouillet and Vermont were added. Thus, several types of merino were bred, differing in some exterior features and in the quality of the rune.
Description of Australian merino
These animals are of average size and weight. Their body is dry, strong, the skeleton is light. The head is light, the nose is either straight or with a slight hump (in males). The males are hornless, differ in the presence of strongly curved spiral horns, the females are mostly hornless.
Males have strongly curved spiral horns
The body is proportional, regular in shape, with a deep and wide chest, straight back and lower back. The height of the withers exceeds the height of the back. The animal has strong strong legs, the position of the limbs is correct. The skin of animals is thin, elastic and dense.
A distinctive feature of the Australian merino is the presence of skin folds. The neck, depending on the type of breed, may either have no folds at all, or have only 2-3, or have a rather developed burda. The fleece covers the head of the animals to the level of the eyes, and the limbs to the hock and wrist joint.
The structure of the wool is staple, the fleece is uniform and rather long, moderately crimped (the most delicate and thinnest - at the withers), has a gray-earthy color on the outer surface. Lanolin (grease), which protects against moisture, is white. The hairs of the magnificent Australian merino fleece are up to 25 microns in thickness, the density of the wool is up to 9000 fibers per 1 sq. cm.
Types of Australian merino
Depending on the type of wool, there are 3 types of Australian merino:
Fine
Small-sized fine-wooled sheep from the Australian Merino breed, characterized by the finest and extremely delicate wool, skin without folds.The weight of a ram is about 70 kg, a sheep is about 40 kg.
The output of 70 quality wool is up to 5 kg. Sheep of this type are more adapted than others to areas with a cool climate and frequent rains, since their fleeces are less susceptible to decay.
Medium
Special medium-fleece sheep with a very thick white coat with folds on the neck. The weight of males reaches 85 kg, females - up to 44 kg. Wool yield of 64-66 quality - up to 8 kg.
Widespread in lowland regions with a dry climate. The Medium type is divided into 2 subtypes:
- Pippin;
- Nonpepin.
Strong
Coarse-haired large animals of a strong build with thick and dense beige hair. A ram weighs up to 95 kg, a sheep - up to 50 kg. The output of wool quality 60-62 reaches 10 kg. This type does not tolerate humid climates, and its coat is not resistant to decay. Despite these differences, each of the types described has a high quality wool.
It is necessary to pay special attention to the New Zealand type Australian merino, the wool of which has medicinal properties and is an effective remedy in the treatment of rheumatism, muscle inflammation, since it has high hygroscopic properties, maintains body temperature at a constant level and is excellent for air permeability. It should be emphasized that due to the negative ionization index, the fibers do not attract dust particles.
Taking into account such a variety of types and subtypes of these sheep, there is a reasonable opinion among breeders, which is also shared by MI Selionova, namely: “It would be advisable to combine all fine-wool breeds of sheep into one”.
Productivity
Australian merino is prized primarily for its excellent, finest and delicate wool, but it also has good meat properties. The length of the fibers is 60-90 mm. These sheep yield up to 12 kg of wool per year with a pure fiber yield of 53%. When clipping, the wool is removed from the animal in the form of a solid fleece, then it is processed and cleaned.
Merino wool is ideal for the textile industry, its quality is perfect for the production of fabrics of various densities, has a high resistance and warming properties. The advantage of the fleece of these sheep is that it practically does not absorb the smell of sweat, and things made from it remain fresh much longer than those made from other types of wool.
Australian merino wool
In addition to wool and meat, lanolin from these sheep, which is characterized by pronounced antibacterial properties, is widely used. It is used in the manufacture of cosmetic and medical products.
Features of the maintenance and care of the Australian merino
Australian merino is characterized by its hardiness. This animal is capable of making long journeys when looking for a suitable pasture. However, its maintenance is not the easiest thing in comparison with the maintenance of other breeds.
Basic rules for keeping merino:
- The sheepfold should be warm, dry and draft-proof.
- Be sure to regularly ventilate the room and the availability of fresh water.
- In the spring, you should drive the sheep to graze not earlier than the end of April, when the night dew has time to dry out by morning, since moisture is detrimental to the delicate wool of the merino.
- Walking animals in winter should be sufficient.
- Wool needs regular bathing with disinfectants to prevent felting and deterioration. For bathing, you need to fill a prepared pit of sufficient depth with water and disinfectant and drive the flock along it.
- Sheep hooves require special attention: they need to be cleaned 4-5 times a year.
- Quality food is the key to the health and productivity of this breed. Oats, barley, hay, root crops, bran are suitable as feed for merino.
- Be sure to give a vitamin complex, minerals and salt.
- Timely veterinary service.
The special structure of the jaw apparatus allows the merino to cut plants to the very root, as well as graze in the pasture after other livestock. The magnificent fleece has thermal insulation properties and perfectly protects animals both in winter frosts and in summer heat. However, in very hot regions, this breed did not take root. Sheep reach maturity and are ready to mate at the age of 1 year. Pregnancy lasts 143-150 days.
The appearance of lambs in March-April is preferable, which should be taken into account before mating. Quite demanding in the care of Australian merino, many times the cost of care after a haircut.