The Australian Merino is an Australian breed or group of breeds of

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated sh ...

, forming a significant part of the

Merino The Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monopoly; exports of the bree ...

group of breeds. Its origins lie in Merino sheep imported to Australia from South Africa in about 1796. By about 1830 there were almost two million Merinos in the country.

History

In 1790

Charles IV of Spain Charles IV (Carlos Antonio Pascual Francisco Javier Juan Nepomuceno José Januario Serafín Diego) 11 November 1748 – 20 January 1819) was King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1788 to 1808. The Spain inherited by Charles IV ...

sent a gift of Merino sheep from the Escurial ''cavana'' to the government of the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands ( Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...

; they did not thrive there, but did well in the

Dutch Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie) was a Dutch United East India Company (VOC) colony in Southern Africa, centered on the Cape of Good Hope, from where it derived its name. The original colony and its successive states that the colony was inco ...

, in what is now South Africa. The origins of the Australian Merino lie in some of these sheep imported to Australia by John Macarthur in 1796. By about 1830 there were almost two million Merinos in the country. The original strain bred by Macarthur survives as the Camden Park or Macarthur Merino. The four principal breeds or strains that developed within the Australian Merino group were the Peppin, the

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country ( Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the No ...

, the

South Australian South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

and the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

. The

Poll Merino The Poll Merino is a subtype of the Australian Merino breed of domestic sheep, without horns, that was developed in Australia. Characteristics These sheep are early maturing, large framed and relatively plain bodied, producing a fleece which i ...

or Australian Poll Merino is a recently-created polled variant. Other strains recognised as breeds include the Booroola Merino, the

Bungaree Merino Bungaree, or Boongaree ( – 24 November 1830), was an Aboriginal Australian from the Guringai people of the Broken Bay north of Sydney, who was known as an explorer, entertainer, and Aboriginal community leader.Barani (2013)Significant Abori ...

, the

Dohne Merino The Dohne Merino (''Dohne, El Dohne Merino'') is a breed of domestic sheep from South Africa. The breed was started in the late 1930s by the South African Department of Agriculture. It was developed by interbreeding Peppin-style Merino ewes and G ...

, the

Fonthill Merino Fonthill or Font Hill may refer to: * Fonthill Bishop, village in Wiltshire, England *Fonthill Gifford, village in Wiltshire, England **Fonthill Abbey, Fonthill Lake and Fonthill Grottoes are located between Fonthill Bishop and Fonthill Gifford *F ...

, the

Tasmanian Merino ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

(which derives from the Saxon); and the

Trangie Fertility Trangie is a town in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is on the Mitchell Highway Mitchell Highway is an outback state highway located in the Central West Queensland, central and South West Queensland, south western ...

References

{{Sheep breeds of Australia and New Zealand Sheep breeds originating in Australia Sheep breeds