page_title: Merino
section_title: Characteristics
hierarchical_section_title: Merino / Characteristics
caption_attribution_description: English: A scanning electron microscope image showing the difference in size and texture between a superfine Merino wool fibre (top) and a human hair
context_page_description: The Merino is one of the most historically relevant and economically influential breeds of sheep, much prized for its wool. The origins of the breed are the subject of debate, with alternatives of it originating in flocks transferred from Morocco as early as the 12th century, originating and being improved in Extremadura in southwestern Spain, in the 12th and 13th centuries or from the selective crossbreeding of Spanish ewes with imported rams at several different periods. It was instrumental in the economic development of 15th and 16th century Spain, which initially held a monopoly on the trade in its wool. Since the end of the 18th century, the breed was further refined in New Zealand and Australia, giving rise to the modern Merino.
  Today, Merinos are still regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep. Poll Merinos have no horns, and horned Merino rams have long, spiral horns which grow close to the head.
context_section_description: Merino is an excellent forager and very adaptable. It is bred predominantly for its wool, and its carcass size is generally smaller than that of sheep bred for meat. South African Meat Merino (SAMM), American Rambouillet and German Merinofleischschaf have been bred to balance wool production and carcass quality.
  Merino has been domesticated and bred in ways that would not allow them to survive well without regular shearing by their owners.  They must be shorn at least once a year because their wool does not stop growing. If this is neglected, the overabundance of wool can cause heat stress, mobility issues, and even blindness.
caption: Australian Merino wool fibre (top) compared to a human hair (bottom), imaged using scanning electron microscopy
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