Most ewes are 'cycling' when the entire rams are joined.
The lamb drop is concentrated. The mating period can be reduced to five or six weeks. The efficiency of husbandry practices such as lamb marking, mulesing and early weaning is increased. The Merino ewe does not have a well-defined breeding season, compared with most British breeds. In the south-west, many farmers join their ewe flocks before the natural breeding season starts.