In time, John Albertyn bought all his rams at production auctions from breeders such as Staatmaker Merinos, Patryskraal Merinos, and Komarsekraal in the Southern Cape. The feeding regime has also been improved: “Merinos are unlikely to get too fat, with higher consumption generally turning into better wool yields. Breeding The remaining 950ha are under old pastures or veld. Animals are normally sheered annually and … What is mulesing: Mulesing involves the removal of strips of wool-bearing skin from around the breech (buttocks) of a sheep to prevent fly strike. Our sheep are raised to roam. South Africa was the first country outside Europe which owned Merinos. Better survival ... to life. Merino Wool and Sheepskin Products,Natural Fibres from South-Africa. Explore 4 listings for Merino sheep lambs for sale South Africa at best prices. It is also called Dohne or El Dohne Merino. The lambing percentage has increased from 71% to 114% over the same time. The ewes are mated naturally, with one ram used for every 33 ewes. “By feeding twice a day, we ensure that the ewes have constant access to fresh food. Pam says that Merinos are notoriously bad mothers, but John addressed this by not raising orphan lambs, and culling ewes that did not look after their lambs. Merino South Africa, the representative body of all Merino farmers and stud breeders, founded in 1937, says Merino is by far the largest sheep breed in South Africa with about 13 million sheep and 2 500 farmers. Acrylic Alpaca Bamboo Cashmere Cotton Extra Fine Merino Wool Merino Wool Mohair Nylon Polyester Silk Viscose Wool. However, the garments were, and still are, very expensive… That’s where CORE Meri… Today it is a common breed of sheep and found throughout the world. Seeing how the industry works has motivated André to take more care in the sorting of wool during shearing to produce more uniform batches. The Albertyn family started keeping records of the flock in 1942, and travelled across South Africa in search of superior Merino rams to improve it. Merino wool comes from Merino sheep, which primarily hail from the mountainous regions of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. “John used to say that a lamb doesn’t die of cold if its stomach is full,” says André. The same principle is applied today; the ewes have 42 days to take, and all those that don’t conceive are sold. “It’s actually quite easy to introduce traceability, as we have such distinct groups and each group is shorn separately,” he says. Parasitic infestation of the body of a live mammal by fly larvea that grow inside the host while feeding on its tissue. While they sometimes lose a couple of animals to predation, primarily honey badgers, he sees this as part of “nature’s share”. I’d rather lose a little money by feeding too much than too little. High-quality merino wool from South Africa meets yak wool, combining to make this soft-wearing, lightweight but warm yarn. They always have access to clean water and ample food, shelter, preventive care, and speedy treatment, and often call thousands of acres home. These products are all registered in terms of appropriate legislation, • The largest proportion of the South African wool clip is from harsh, low-rainfall areas (for example the Karoo) where blowfly does not exist, • Making use of environmentally friendly Luci traps to eliminate blowfly, Read more about Cape Wool's code of conduct here in this pdf download. The farm mixes its own feed consisting of maize, triticale and barley or oats, combined with supplements. kg of wool. Regia Premium looks particularly attractive in small Fair Isle and plait patterns. Recently Added Need inspiration? André vaccinates the sheep against bluetongue, pulpy kidney, enzootic abortions, tetanus and pasturella, and consults the local veterinary medicine consultants to guide his pest and parasite management programme. South African merino - Cape Wool | KOKON YARN. Selling a brand like Core Merino would be indeed a little easier if we also had this type of a story, but that just ain’t so. This helps improve wool quality and milk production and maintain ewe condition. Thanks to tweaks he has made to ewe and lamb management, André has increased the lamb survival rate from 51% to 79% over the past decade. As a result, the industry consistently generates a high quality, environmentally sound product for international markets. While Merinos are no longer produced on the original farm, Kleiheuwel has continued the Merino tradition, and the flock had steadily improved with each passing generation. © 2021 Farmer's Weekly Magazine | Caxton Magazines Digital |, Meet one of SA’s top Merino wool producers, Israeli technologies could boost SA agriculture, Easy-to-grow brinjals ensure steady profits, Backyard broiler business: Start small, dream big, Langkloof hailstorm damages apple, pear crop, Early rainfall could lead to fall armyworm infestations, Invitation for Expression of Interest In Milk Afric, ‘Farmers cannot afford to pay higher wages’ – agri role players. Back then, just like now, it sounded almost too good to be true, with hikers coming back from 10 days in the Drakensberg, wearing one t-shirt, and not wanting to burn the thing at the end of it. Sixty-three percent of the ewes that produce twins or multiples have multiples the year after. Pam and André Christie-Smith spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their production approach. 100% Wool - Merino. BKB classes the young ewes at around nine months of age, based primarily on the quality of their wool. Kleiheuwel, situated near L’Agulhas in the Western Cape’s Overberg region, has a rich farming heritage. The lambs are provided with creep feed ad lib after they are born. Training programmes were put in place with retailers like Woolworths to encourage interest and purchasing in the Merino Wool product range. The South African Meat Merino or SAMM is a wool and meat sheep originating in South Africa, but now found throughout the world. The first Merino sheep arrived at the Cape in 1789, and the sheep and wool industry on a commercial basis was soon established. As you may know, Core Merino is a brand owned by the company BKB. With the sheep being grouped according to their ages and ewes being kept separate from wethers, André has been able to develop full traceability from the wool to a group of animals, without using any special electronics. That’s wool for you – kind to you and kind to the planet. The rams are dosed with 20ml wheat germ once a week for a month to ensure they are in top form by the time they are placed with the ewes, while the ewes receive preformulated supplements from two weeks before the mating season starts in October until six weeks after they have lambed. Consequently, the South African woolgrower can give much more individual attention to his flock and take preventative steps to avoid flystrike. SOUTH AFRICA MERINO WOOL IS GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED FOR EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY APPAREL WOOL AND IS METICULOUSLY CLASSED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET. $198.00 $128.00 CAD. “My father, John Albertyn, and my husband André and I have all put great effort into breeding sheep with good wool qualities, resulting in the flock looking totally different from what it did two generations ago,” says Pam Christie-Smith, who belongs to the sixth generation on the farm. It is also known as SAMM or South African Mutton Merino sheep. It is a pretty new breed and was actually developed in the late 1930s. • Sheep are sheared more often, which eliminates wool growth in the area where blowfly lay their eggs, • Localised application of pesticide to the breech area to kill the blowfly is standard practice. They are not polled, so can stand their ground against most predators. On the other hand, we regard meat as a by-product of wool production,” says André. Changing the shearing interval has meant that the ewes are now shorn just before they lamb, ensuring they are in a better condition to look after their young, says André. Source of fiber: South Africa, 22 micron minimum Gems 100% merino is a dream sweater yarn! André plants 300ha a year in a rotation of wheat with feed crops, such as triticale and oats, as well as barley, of which some is sold to the malting industry. Rams usually have horns and ewes usually are polled. “I like the idea of our wool being used in some of the finest suits made in Italy,” says Pam. The Merino of Australia is the backbone of the largest wool producing country in the world and this breed is the only one grown purely for its wool. The breed grows well in arid conditions as found in Australia, South Africa and parts of New Zealand. The Merino originated in Spain. Ewes have a good maternal instinct and high milk production. South Africa is mainly producing a Merino clip, which comprises over 80% of all lots offered for sale. The wool diameter averages 18,7 microns for the flock as a whole and 17,5 microns for young ewes. Your knits will be cosy but breathable so it’s a winner in every season. Culled animals are sold to an abattoir in the Eastern Cape. Established in 1937, Merino SA has been representing the industry for more than eighty years. This long history has established woolgrowers who have a keen appreciation of how to care for their animals and the environment. Free Shipping in South Africa. Ewes reach their reproductive peak at five years of age, after which they are sold. Although Spain exported wool to England, the Low Countries and Italy in the 13th and 14th centuries this was only used to make cheap cloths. $198.00 $128.00 CAD. SHOP THE COLLECTION. The SAMM has been developed as a versatile, hardy, polled dual-purpose breed. “Wheat is an incidental part of our production system, because it allows us to create sustainable rotations with feed crops, and the sheep can graze the stubble. Merino SA is affiliated internationally and is a member of the World Federation of Merino Breeders. Conrtact 0824666174 or info@mohairblanket.co.za. Check it out! South Africa is a vast and beautiful country with a rich history of sheep and wool farming. The wethers receive supplementary feed, such as Condition Lick or Econo Lick, but are kept in larger camps. The wethers are castrated at six weeks of age and weaned along with the lamb ewes at about four months of age, depending on veld conditions. The wet and dry technique is used to identify ewes failing to rear a lamb. Clearance André’s aim is to produce wool with an average fleece length of 60mm to 70mm, although between 70mm and 80mm would be ideal. Wool is obtained from the fleece of sheep, muskoxen, goats, rabbits, camelids, and other animals that possess long hair. Machine wash? Attributes. Kleiheuwel Trust, based in Bredasdorp, recently achieved one of the top 10 best prices in the history of South African wool sales, and the highest price during the previous season’s BKB wool auctions. Like John before him, André sees the wethers as the money-spinners on the farm, because they produce better wool than the ewes and require fewer inputs. “The BKB agent has years of experience, so he has a much better idea of what makes a great ewe than I have.”. Handcrafted Wood Furniture. The cheapest offer starts at R 700. It’s worth it to buy #naturalfiber products. THE HISTORY OF MERINO SHEEP . Merino are the top breed in regions where sheep are bred for their wool rather than their mutton, as in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, South Africa and the western United States. Handcrafted lighting pendants and baskets. 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