Le Mérinos précoce
(Early-developing Merino)
Qualities
The Mérinos Précoce has all the qualities of the Merino breeds: extreme hardiness, adaptability, ability to lamb at any time of the year, and fineness of wool. But, in addition, because of the improvement in its conformation and the increase in its size, it is a good meat producer; pure bred lambs, with their god conformation and fast growth rate, produce quality meat.
Breeding and distribution
Wool quality is maintained by breeding which also is aimed at finding strains which are earlier maturing, more prolific and of better conformation.In 1979, the Flock Book introduced a genetic programme for the breed in order to avoid excess inbreeding and at the same time making it possible to select according to the characteristics of growth, conformation, milk production and prolificacy.Since 1950, more than 15,000 Mérinos Précoce breeding stock have been exported, principally to Spain, Europe and Mediterranean countries.Butcher qualities Weight of the rams: 90 to 120 kg.Weight of the ewes: 65 to 80 kg.
Wool
Tight fleece, very dense, with an average weight of 4,5 kg (ewes) to 7kg (rams).Square –ended elastic, strong ,soft staple. Average fineness: 100 to 105.