The breed of Merino sheep is well-known to many, since the yarn from their wool bears this name. This is a variety popular all over the world, which has no equal in the woolen direction. If you decide to get a Merino sheep, be sure to study the characteristics of the breed and the subtleties of the content. Further in the article you will find a description of the breed, as well as the features of care and breeding of individuals.
General characteristics and description
Merino sheep are a breed that is bred for wool. These are animals with powerful legs, an elongated head and large horns. Merinos differ from other breeds in fine wool. The description of sheep and rams varies depending on the variety. Among the merino sheep, there are types of fine, medium and strong.
- Fine. The subspecies has smooth skin and a uniform layer of wool. The Fleece of Fines is the highest quality among all subspecies.
- Medium. There are several folds on the skin of animals. The quality of wool is lower than that of fines.
- Strong. Individuals of the strong subspecies are massive, in size they can be compared with meat breeds.
Origin and virtues of the breed
The Merino breed was bred by breeding in Spain in the XNUMXth century. For breeding, individuals belonging to the Middle Eastern and North African breeds were crossed. By the XNUMXth century, the government banned the export of merino sheep from the country. The punishment for bringing an animal across the border was the death penalty. Only after the XVIII century the ban was lifted, and the owners managed to export to other states. In other countries, Merinos were crossed with local sheep. So the breed began to have many subspecies.
Did you know? The European fashion house in 2004 purchased 100 kg of natural merino wool for 420 thousand dollars.
- The breed has many advantages over other species:
- Unpretentiousness. Merinos are easy to care for and breed. Animals do not need a special diet – standard sheep food will do. Rams and sheep quickly adapt to a new place and even in a new climate.
- Fertility. High fertility characteristics of 140% are a definite plus for this variety of sheep.
- Wool. The main feature of the breed is fine wool. High clipping rates and material quality make merinos attractive to farmers.
Why Merino wool is considered elite
Merino sheep fleece is considered one of the most expensive and at the same time demanded natural types of yarn. The material has many remarkable properties due to which it has gained such popularity.
<font><font>Materials</font></font>
The wool of merino sheep is fine. The fibers are thin and soft, thanks to which the yarn is warm and pleasant to the touch. The main properties of the rune:
- the fibers are sinuous, while the wool itself is aligned on both sides;
- pile length 8,5–9 cm on average;
- tonina 45-79 days depending on the species;
- beige fat top;
- up to 50% washed fiber.
Beneficial effect on human health
Clothing made of various materials has a positive or negative effect on human health. For example, synthetic fabrics do not allow heat to pass through, which provokes increased sweating. Clothing made from merino yarn, as well as from other natural materials, is more preferable than synthetic.
- The advantages of merino material are even greater, since it:
- keeps warm;
- gently in contact with the skin;
- does not absorb sweat and smells good.
That is why merino wool is popular in the clothing industry.
Productivity Options
The productivity of individuals depends on the specific breed, subspecies and sex. The averages of all merinos are as follows:
- Fine. Males weigh up to 70 kg, give 9–20 kg of fleece. Females weigh up to 40 kg and produce 4–10 kg of wool. Fleece quality – from 70 den.
- Mediums. Males weigh up to 85 kg, give 9–20 kg of fleece. Females weigh up to 45 kg and produce 4–10 kg of wool. The quality of the rune is about 65 den.
- Strongi. Males weigh up to 95 kg, give 9–20 kg of fleece. Females weigh up to 60 kg and produce 4–10 kg of wool. The quality of the rune is about 45 den.
Famous breeds
There are many breeds of Merino sheep. The most famous of them are the Australian, Electoral, Negretti, Mazaevskaya, Novokavkazskaya, Rambouillet and Soviet Merino.
Did you know? In Australia, a merino shearing contest is popular for a while. Some record holders manage the task in 60 seconds.
Australian
After the export of the breed outside of Spain, some of the individuals ended up on the Australian continent. All subspecies of Australian Merino have high wool productivity. Australia ranks first in the world in the production of Merino fleece. About 70 thousand farms in the country are engaged in breeding the breed.
electoral
The Electoral breed was bred by Spanish breeders. The species was most popular in Germany. The breed is less productive in terms of the amount of wool produced. From one adult sheep, farmers receive only 1 kg of fleece. This is due to a short pile, the length of which is only 4 cm. Also, these sheep are more whimsical to care for. However, the breed has a plus – a good fineness of hairs.
Negretti
Negretti sheep are bred in Germany. The breed has an average wool productivity. Farmers shear about 4 kg of fleece from one sheep. A distinctive feature of Negretti is a moderate amount of folds on the skin.
Mazaevskaya
The Mazaevsky subspecies is the fruit of the work of Russian breeders. The species is common in the North Caucasus region. The productivity of wool per year is 6–15 kg per individual. In modern times, the popularity of the breed has fallen due to genetic deterioration. Sheep are often born weak and do not live up to performance.
Novokavkazskaya
The breeder P. Kuleshov bred the New Caucasian variety, crossing Ramboulier and Mazaevsky merinos. Animals are distinguished by a powerful constitution and good performance indicators. An average sheep gives up to 6 kg of shearing per year, a ram – up to 9 kg.
Ramboulier
The Rambouillet is a French variety of the breed. The average individual gives about 5 kg of wool per year. Animals are distinguished by a strong physique and high-quality soft fleece.
Soviet merino
The Soviet Merino was bred by breeders of the USSR, crossing Rambouillet and the Novokavkazskaya breed. Individuals are large, powerful constitution, fleshy. The fur is beige.
Rules and features of the content
The main direction of keeping merinos is wool, so the main rule of growing is to control the purity of the fleece and timely haircut. Also pay attention to the general welfare of the herd. The task of a responsible farmer is to monitor the health of all individuals. To do this, the flock needs to provide quality care.
Care and breeding
Merino breeding is impossible without competent care. For sheep, you need to prepare a koshara, follow a diet, regularly graze, shear, bathe. Also, the farmer needs to monitor the pregnancy, lambing and the first months of life of newborn lambs.
Grazing
Grazing of animals is carried out from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn. Grazing rules change depending on the season.
Spring
Walking is carried out only in dry weather. After the snow melts and during the spring rains, it is not necessary to graze the sheep.
Summer
Sheep are walked from 5-6 to 11 am. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., animals are driven into a shed so as not to expose the wool to intense lighting. From 5 to 10 p.m. they again graze.
Autumn
Animals are walked from 11 am to 2 pm. After 4 hours, sheep and rams are again released to pasture. The herd is driven into the koshara when it gets dark.
Koshara for keeping
For the maintenance of merinos, it is necessary to equip a shed. The room must be protected from sudden gusts of wind. Stuffiness should also be avoided. Farmers advise setting up feeding enclosures near the koshary. Enclosures should have feeders and drinkers.
Placement norms
Placement rates depend on individuals and their number. When equipping a koshara, consider the following recommendations for the area:
- sheep – 1,5 m²;
- ram – 2 m²;
- lamb – 0,7 m²;
- sheep with offspring – 2,2–2,5 m².
Diet
The basis of the nutrition of Merino sheep from mid-spring to mid-autumn is fresh grass. In grazing, animals are limited only by time. However, it is impossible to feed the animals with one walk. This is especially true in winter and early spring, when the sheep do not have access to fresh grass. In order to fully provide the herd with the necessary elements, the breeder selects a diet. Specific calculations depend on weight and subspecies.
Important! Silage negatively affects the digestive tract of sheep. Try not to feed animals with such food.
An approximate daily ration is shown in the table below.
April May
350–650 g concentrate, 0,5 kg hay, salt and water as needed
June August
200 g concentrate, hay, salt, water as needed
September – November
1 kg potatoes or peas, straw, salt, water as needed
December – March
250–400 g feed, up to 3 kg potatoes, carrots, peas or apples, hay, salt, water as needed
A haircut
From the beginning of the second year of life, Merino sheep are sheared. A haircut is carried out annually in the spring. Before shearing the fleece, the farmer must ensure that the fleece is clean and dry. It is advisable to call an assistant for the procedure. During the shearing process, one person must hold the animal, and the second must cut the hair. At one time, it is necessary to remove the fleece from all parts of the sheep’s body.
Bathing
To maintain the health of animals, you need to bathe periodically. The procedure is carried out without fail:
- 2-3 weeks after cutting;
- then weaning lambs from the mother;
- in the summer in the heat as needed.
The herd can be driven through a hole with a diameter of 10 m, filled with water. The water level should reach the neck of the lowest individual. If there is no space for a hole, you can rinse the wool with a soft stream of water.
Mating and lambing
Sheep and rams are mated from the second year of life. A couple of animals are allowed into the enclosure for 2 days, during which the male must cover the female. If pregnancy does not occur, the mating process is repeated after 2 weeks.
To develop new hybrids, breeders resort to artificial insemination. To do this, sheep sperm is injected into the vulva of a sheep using a veterinary syringe.
Important! For the first 5 hours after giving birth, constantly give the sheep water to drink.
Lambing occurs 20–22 weeks after pregnancy. At the time of childbirth, it is better to call a veterinarian. Lambing can go away on its own, but in some cases it is necessary to manually break the amniotic sac and get the lamb. After 10-20 minutes, the newborn will drink mother’s milk.
Raising lambs
For the first 3 months, young animals mainly feed on mother’s milk. From 1 month you can add complementary foods to the diet. Cereals, grass or compound feed are suitable as the first food. The rest of the lambs will be taken care of by the lambing sheep. From 3 months old, lambs are gradually transferred to adult food and accustomed to the general herd.
Growing merinos must be approached competently. It is impossible to get high-quality wool if you do not look after the animals. Having studied the subtleties described above, the farmer will definitely be able to grow a healthy herd and collect a large cut every year.
