Merino sheep are unlike anything you have ever seen before. Their elegance is truly captivating and their soft, pristine wool reflects their exquisite charm. But there is more to these charming animals than their pure white coats.
In an interview with Food For Mzansi, Willie van Heerden, manager of Merino South Africa, shares why this sheep is the benchmark breed when it comes to sheep.
According to Van Heerden, the first Merinos were imported to South Africa in 1779, mainly from Europe. He says countries like Spain, France, and Turkey were well-known for their wool and sheep.
Wool vs. meat
“Wool was, at first, the main product harvested from the sheep and not so much the meat. Emphasis was a lot on wool up to the 1960s which changed thereafter. The reason for that is because Merino sheep were seen as a factory and producing lots of wool put a lot of pressure on the sheep,” he explains.
“This often led to issues in raising the lambs because the sheep had to work hard in producing wool and lambs.”
This picture was taken in 1980 and shows how much wool Merino sheep were expected to carry back then. Van Heerden says these days the wool is a lot less and takes away some pressure from the sheep. Farmers are now more focused on fertility and raising the lambs. Photo: Supplied/Willie van Heerden
What makes this breed a must-consider for any sheep farmer in South Africa is that they are a dual-purpose producing sheep with mutton and excellent quality wool. Their wool is in high demand worldwide, especially in Europe. Compared to back then, Merinos are bigger, have less wool, are hardier, functionally more efficient and more economically productive than ever before. Photo: Supplied/Merino SA
The ideal environmental conditions and regions for raising Merino sheep range from high-rainfall areas to semi-arid Karoo areas. Van Heerden says at the moment, Merino sheep can be found in northern KwaZulu-Natal all the way down to the Southern Cape. The northern parts of the Northern Cape are the only place where you do not find them. This is because the drier the land gets, the more dust you get. This plays an important role in producing clean wool yield. Photo: Sourced/Merino SA/Johanette Photography
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