File:Sheep, breeds and management (1893) (14779545144).jpg

Identifier: sheepbreedsmanag00wrig (find matches)
Title: Sheep, breeds and management
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Wrightson, John
Subjects: Sheep
Publisher: London, Vinton
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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rse in flesh, and more indolent intheir habits. MERINO SHEEP. Although we properly divide our flocks into long and shortwoolled races, we are in England destitute of a truly short orfine woolled breed. If we want to see short and fine woolto perfection we must seek it among the Merino flocks ofSouthern Europe, or our own colonies of Australia and NewZealand. The early home of Merino sheep appears to havebeen Spain, from whence they were imported into France,England, Hungary, and Germany. The moist climate ofBritain was, however, unfavourable for the growth of the * Professor Low says that the sheep of Spain were introduced at variousperiods : first, from Asia by the early Phoenician Colonies ; second, from Africaby the Carthaginians ; third, from Italy by the Romans ; and fourth, fromAfrica, by the Moors, during nearly eight centuries of occupation. The mostimportant of these latter races is the Merino, now the most esteemed andwidely diffused of all the fine woolled breeds of Europe.
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LONG AND FINE WOOLLED SHEEP. II finest wools, and hence the Merino has never been success-fully propagated with us. It was soon found that the dryclimates of Australasia were eminently adapted for the pro-duction of fine wool, and hence the vast flocks of Australiaand New Zealand are composed of Merino and Merino crosses,and the wool which reaches us from these colonies is all ofthe finest description. The Merino is eminently a ivool sheep, as distinct from amutton sheep. For feeding purposes it is inferior ; and asthe production of the finest wool is best attained by feedingon rye straw and a spare diet, it is evident that where finewool is the object, heavy feeding is at a discount. Since thefrozen mutton trade has attained its recent proportions, in-creased attention has been given to the carcases of sheep inthe leading sheep-farming colonies, and the Merino has beenlargely crossed with Lincolns, Shropshires, Leicesters, andSouthdowns, with the effect of greatly improving the value

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