FRENCH MERINOS

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13986, 8 March 1911, Page 2

FRENCH MERINOS

A correspondent of the American "Breeders' Gazette" contributes an interesting article on the development of the merino sheep in France. The breed was originally introduced into that country from Spain in 1750 and 1776, but the present-day merino does not show the distinctive signs of its ancestral origin. There are seven varieties of merinos now in France. The South produces the Crau and Naz variety, while in the East ono meets the merino types of Champagne, Chatillonnais, Toissonnaise and Brie, and the National Farm of Rambouillet preserves the original merino type, distinguished by its thick fleece and -kin creases. In the Toissonaise and Chatillonnais districts, particularly, tho breeders have succeeded in creating, by judicious selection, a type of merino which distinguishes itself from others by a more regular conformation and a greater precocity. Although it inherits from its ancestors the characteristic quality of their wool, it differs from the primitive type by having smaller bone and head, better development of the hindquarters, and is without wrinkles. The fleece of the Toissonaise merino is of superior quality and length, four to five inches in length of staple being common, and even eight inches is not unknown, and weighs up to lllb. The quality of the meat has been improved, and the strong tallowy taste has been got rid of. Besides the increase in the value of the meat, there has,been an increase in size of the race. At the present time, weights of 200!b for ewes are regularly registered on most of the farms, and it is not rare to meet on some farms rams weighing ever 3001b. For the size of the sheep the weight of fleece does not seem very heavy, at least compared with the weight of fleece of colonial merinos. The flocks number from about 400 to 1000, of which from 100 to 300 are rams, which are mostly hired out to neighbouring farmers or sold. Americans and Germans are customers for theso eneep. The sheep are housed and all fed principally on lucerne; roots and ensilage, one half of each farm being cultivated simply for the benefit of the flock.