Merinos

The Australian Merino Rams and Wool

Almost all merino* sheep belonged to the King of Spain in the 17th & 18th centuries; they were considered treasure because they produced finer wool than any other breed of sheep; it was a capital offense to be in possession of a royal merino without having the proper papers. After the Napoleonic wars (1803-1815) the Spanish monarchy weakened; merinos were sold-off and dispersed throughout Europe. Some were exported to America and some to Australia thereby geographically separating the gene pool.

 

"Don" a Spanish Merino Ram (ca. 1790)

 The American merino breeder had a good domestic market to sell his lamb; he selected his merino for lamb production over wool production. His merino became larger and more prolific while its wool languished, diminishing in both quality and quantity. There was no economic reason to select for better wool because the market did not reward him for doing so. While the Australian merino breeder, not having a large domestic market for lamb, selected his sheep to produce quality wool because it was not as perishable as lamb. Wool could be shorn, stored and easily shipped to European markets in the years before refrigerated transport.

Australian merino wool is the best in the world. Many Australians consider their merino sheep to be a “national treasure.” Until 1986, export of all merino genetics was banned; then, at the insistence of stud merino breeders, the government permitted the export of a limited number rams.

In July of 1990 I went to Australia to buy rams; I visited Australia's major Saxon merino studs with my Australian agent, Patrick Esse. We traveled from Yass and Goulburn in New South Wales to Hamilton in Victoria stopping at Merriville, Bullamalita, Glenleigh, Hillcreston, Grathlyn and Sierra Park to preview the rams that would be available for export. I made notes on structure and followed Pat's advice on the wool. We spent a fortnight comparing the rams to decide which ones to bid on when we got to Melbourne and the export sale.

We were looking for Saxon rams who were large and smooth bodied with wool having an Average Fiber Diameter (AFD) of 17-18 microns whose fleece was uniform, front to rear, and top to bottom. We wanted a brilliant white wool that yielded 70% or better with excellent handle and character. I bid on and bought five world-class Saxon merino rams at the Melbourne export sale.

 

Sierra Park SP2 (b. 1987)

SP2 was the "Overall Reserve Champion Superfine Ram" at Melbourne, 1990. 17.1 micron and 75% yield. Sire: Sir William 7th. The Sierra Park stud is the foremost breeder of Saxon Merinos in Australia. This ram was the most celebrated fine-wool ram exported from Australia in the 20th Century. Pictured are Eugene Wyatt, SP2 and Patrick Esse.

 
Bullamalita 76 (b. 1988)

The American Merino Ewes and Lamb

Three months later, when the rams were flown to the States, I began breeding them to the American merino ewes that I acquired in Texas and Nevada. The American ewes were larger, had better carcass characteristics and were more prolific than their Australian ewes. The goal was to breed a sheep that had the excellence of the Australian merino in wool production and the efficiency of the American merino in lamb production.

 

*The etymology of the word merino has long been disputed.  On one hand it is believed that the name comes from Berber Ben Merin, the Sahara tribe that first developed this breed. On the other hand it is believed that the name comes from the Spanish word merino which when translated means local magistrate.