Ewes that do not have milk, or are dry, are culled. Clearance Made from 100% South African Merino Wool. I hand select my yarns to ensure they are the best quality merino wool, mohair, bamboo and cotton available. Free Shipping in South Africa. 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. Training programmes were put in place with retailers like Woolworths to encourage interest and purchasing in the Merino Wool product range. It is also known as SAMM or South African Mutton Merino sheep. Attributes. The earliest evidence of fine Spanish wool exports were to Italy in the 1390s and Flanders in the 1420s, although in both cases fine English wool was preferred. 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. 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. Consumption usually starts at 10 days after birth. The Merino originated in Spain. 100% Merino Wool Chunky Knit Blankets, Throws & Decor Hand Crafted. 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. Regia Premium looks particularly attractive in small Fair Isle and plait patterns. South Africa is a vast and beautiful country with a rich history of sheep and wool farming. He has bought special feeding troughs with enough space to enable all the sheep in a camp to feed with ease simultaneously. “The BKB agent has years of experience, so he has a much better idea of what makes a great ewe than I have.”. At the end of 2000 a small herd of Alpacas were imported from Chile into South Africa where they are bred for their wool as well as to encourage Alpaca breeders in South Africa. Spain became noted for its fine wool (spinning count between 60s and 64s) in the late 15th century, and by the mid-16th century its merino wool was acknowledged to equal that of the finest English wools. Ewes reach their reproductive peak at five years of age, after which they are sold. 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. Through breeding, farmers have over the years adapted the sheep to market demands and environmental conditions. At the time of writing, the flock comprised about 1 500 ewes, 1 300 lambs and 2 000 wethers. The Merino is the oldest sheep breed in the world. Email André Christie-Smith at [email protected]. • Konsortium-Merino uses Mother Nature as chief classer and breeds a sheep which is adapted accordingly. The wet and dry technique is used to identify ewes failing to rear a lamb. The Dohne Merino sheep is a breed of domestic sheep which was originated from South Africa. Cozy Merino Turtleneck Sweater There are more than 27 000 wool producers (mostly Merino) in South Africa producing a total of just over 100 mil. Sixty-three percent of the ewes that produce twins or multiples have multiples the year after. André regularly attends BKB auctions in Port Elizabeth to strengthen ties with buyers, and the farm has established itself as a fine wool producer, with many wool buyers seeking it out. NR 17 #slippers and custom made calf length #boots in 100% Sheepskin. However, the garments were, and still are, very expensive… That’s where CORE Meri… 100% Wool - Merino. As a result, the industry consistently generates a high quality, environmentally sound product for international markets. Rams usually have horns and ewes usually are polled. It is also called Dohne or El Dohne Merino. The lambing percentage has increased from 71% to 114% over the same time. 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. 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. This history stretched back as far as 1789, when the Dutch Government donated two Spanish Merino Rams and four Spanish Merino Ewes to Col. Jacob Gordon, the military commander at the Cape at that time, on an experimental basis. Browse our … 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. SHOP THE COLLECTION. “It’s actually quite easy to introduce traceability, as we have such distinct groups and each group is shorn separately,” he says. The wethers are shorn every eight months and the ewes every six months to avoid having to shear all the sheep in the middle of winter or during the lambing or planting season. 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. At six weeks of age, the lambs are marked and the udders and teats of the ewes are inspected to determine whether they have milk and are, in effect, rearing lambs. South African merino - Cape Wool | KOKON YARN. Texture. THE HISTORY OF MERINO SHEEP . 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. South American sheep – we’ve got you to thank for our Crazy Sexy Wool. As a result, the industry consistently generates a high quality, environmentally sound product for international markets. Steps taken in South Africa to prevent Mulesing, • The South African Merino has, over the years, been bred for less skin folds. Machine wash? “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. Acrylic Alpaca Bamboo Cashmere Cotton Extra Fine Merino Wool Merino Wool Mohair Nylon Polyester Silk Viscose Wool. 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. Our sheep are raised to roam. This long history has established woolgrowers who have a keen appreciation of how to care for their animals and the environment. “By feeding twice a day, we ensure that the ewes have constant access to fresh food. Animals are normally sheered annually and … “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. It’s 100% natural, 100% renewable and totally biodegradable too. Rockdale 05-0182 RR, SAMM in Australia. André’s aim is to produce wool with an average fleece length of 60mm to 70mm, although between 70mm and 80mm would be ideal. Explore 4 listings for Merino sheep lambs for sale South Africa at best prices. This helps improve wool quality and milk production and maintain ewe condition. Ewes have a good maternal instinct and high milk production. Culled animals are sold to an abattoir in the Eastern Cape. The first Merino sheep arrived at the Cape in 1789, and the sheep and wool industry on a commercial basis was soon established. 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. It is a pretty new breed and was actually developed in the late 1930s. Parasitic infestation of the body of a live mammal by fly larvea that grow inside the host while feeding on its tissue. 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. The SAMM has been developed as a versatile, hardy, polled dual-purpose breed. I am proud of the high quality fibres that South African farmers produce, so (with the exception of bamboo) work with yarns that come from SA farms and are locally spun. The animals all have access to supplementary feed all year. Source of fiber: South Africa, 22 micron minimum Gems 100% merino is a dream sweater yarn! ... to life. Kleiheuwel, situated near L’Agulhas in the Western Cape’s Overberg region, has a rich farming heritage. They are not polled, so can stand their ground against most predators. I’d rather lose a little money by feeding too much than too little. A… Trumps Merino Stud - … Established in 1937, Merino SA has been representing the industry for more than eighty years. Consequently, the South African woolgrower can give much more individual attention to his flock and take preventative steps to avoid flystrike. 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 South African Meat Merino or SAMM is a wool and meat sheep originating in South Africa, but now found throughout the world. The average production per sheep is … Good genetics The ewes with lambs are inspected thoroughly and fed in the mornings, and receive a quick check along with feed, often Epol sheep pellets, in the evenings. Underrated wethers It is a true worsted-spun yarn with a tight twist to minimize pilling while maintaining a high elasticity. Merino SA is affiliated internationally and is a member of the World Federation of Merino Breeders. • The average flock size in South Africa is considerably smaller than in Australia. $198.00 $128.00 CAD. Conrtact 0824666174 or info@mohairblanket.co.za. He can now present more lines of wool at auction, garnering much higher returns. Core Merino started out a little bit differently. The Merino wool fiber is considered the best quality, especially with regards to textile production. South Africa was the first country outside Europe which owned Merinos. EASY CARE High performing Merino Wool is durable and easy to care for. This long history has established woolgrowers who have a keen appreciation of how to care for their animals and the environment. The problem, however, is that buyers, like everybody else in the country, don’t know what is going to happen in South Africa, making them hesitant to get too closely involved with farms here,” he says. 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. Young ewes weigh about 90% of their adult weight (65kg on average) when they are placed with the rams. Wool length is a priority, and he has switched from shearing once a year to every six and eight months as prices are discounted for fleece longer than 90mm. While they sometimes lose a couple of animals to predation, primarily honey badgers, he sees this as part of “nature’s share”. During the whole of its colonial period, the Cape province remained the most important wool producing area in Southern Africa and although the sheep industry subsequently spread rapidly throughout virtually the whole of the country, 'Cape Wool' has become the international generic trade term for all wool produced on the sub-continent. “John used to say that a lamb doesn’t die of cold if its stomach is full,” says André. He and Pam dream of developing their own wool brand one day, with buyers coming to their farm to buy wool, as is done in Australia. Breeding Mean fibre diameter is the major price determinant for Merino wool, with finer micron categories normally commanding a premium over medium and strong wool. The feeding regime has also been improved: “Merinos are unlikely to get too fat, with higher consumption generally turning into better wool yields. “We buy about 20 rams a year and replace them after three years.”, His ram selection strategy is straightforward: “My purchasing decisions are based on BLUP records, specifically wool quality and whether the mother had a history of twins. Today it is a common breed of sheep and found throughout the world. It’s worth it to buy #naturalfiber products. That’s wool for you – kind to you and kind to the planet. I first heard of merino wool being used in sportswear about 10 years ago when Icebreaker, the New Zealand merino clothing company, entered the South African market. “We’ve proved that we can produce constant good quality. Recently Added Need inspiration? Because I’m not a stud breeder, I don’t buy the most expensive animals, but usually end up buying animals slightly below the average sales price of the day.”. South Africa is a vast and beautiful country with a rich history of sheep and wool farming. 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. plied. 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. “The ewe shouldn’t have any visible defects and she may be small, but not skinny,” says André. Your knits will be cosy but breathable so it’s a winner in every season. And the breed was developed by the South African Department of Agriculture. The cheapest offer starts at R 700. The ewes are mated naturally, with one ram used for every 33 ewes. © 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. #Happy #clients. The South African Meat Merino or SAMM is a wool and meat sheep originating in South Africa, but now found throughout the world. Welcome to Natural Yarns ~ where you will find natural fibre materials and useful tools for all your fibre craft creations! The farm mixes its own feed consisting of maize, triticale and barley or oats, combined with supplements. The SAMM is derived from the German Merinofleischschaf animals imported into South Africa from Europe in 1932, to improve the quality of … Description The Merino is a medium frame white wool sheep. Ethically sourced wool products begin with flocks of hardy Merino sheep grazing on green grass in the shadow of jagged peaks. 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. High-quality merino wool from South Africa meets yak wool, combining to make this soft-wearing, lightweight but warm yarn. Better survival Crops, meat and wool account equally for the farm’s income, but the operation is geared towards wool production. It was once part of the historic Zoetendals Vallei farm that belonged to the Van Bredas of Bredasdorp, who owned South Africa’s first commercial Merino flock in 1817. Machine wash & dry. Different lines or genotypes within the Merino breed exist in South Africa, mainly differing with regard to skin development (pleats) and fibre diameter. 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. This guarantees the ethical treatment of our flocks. The triticale and barley are usually undersown with lucerne, with the farm having 250ha under lucerne production. Merino Wool and Sheepskin Products,Natural Fibres from South-Africa. While Merinos are no longer produced on the original farm, Kleiheuwel has continued the Merino tradition, and the flock had … Our Merino Wool is sourced from South Africa and Australia and is 100% Non-Mulesed Certified. The industry prides itself as a South African leader in wool and mutton production and Merino SA has a proud tradition of excellence and integrity. kg of wool. The same principle is applied today; the ewes have 42 days to take, and all those that don’t conceive are sold. 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. Despite the name, the breed is a dual-purpose animal and raised for both meat and wool production. 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. Check it out! 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. Ewes are scanned and multiples are separated from single pregnancies. Handcrafted lighting pendants and baskets. The wethers receive supplementary feed, such as Condition Lick or Econo Lick, but are kept in larger camps. I make that money back in the wool cheque.”. New Yarns & Shades Sirdar Adventure Haworth Tweed DK Country Classic Worsted Snuggly Replay Sirdar Jewelspun Sirdar Saltaire Snuggly Snowflake Chunky. Also, the Schachenmayr website has a number of free sock and … They always have access to clean water and ample food, shelter, preventive care, and speedy treatment, and often call thousands of acres home. The breed grows well in arid conditions as found in Australia, South Africa and parts of New Zealand. Production per producer varies considerably with the 290;0 bigger growers producing more than 80% of the entire wool clip. Merino wool comes from Merino sheep, which primarily hail from the mountainous regions of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. yes. Cowgirlblues is a Cape Town-based dye house and design studio specialising in South African wool and mohair. Feeding The South African Meat Merino sheep is a breed of domestic sheep originating in South Africa. The lambs are provided with creep feed ad lib after they are born. The remaining 950ha are under old pastures or veld. Merino Wool South Africa was invited to the Mohair Summit with a Merino Wool range, made by fashion designer Karen Ter Morshuizen, from Lunar. 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. The Landsheep has a very long and deep body, producing heavy lamb carcasses of 20 - 25 kg at 100 to 120 days with an above average slaughter percentage of around 54%. The wool diameter averages 18,7 microns for the flock as a whole and 17,5 microns for young ewes. A ewe that has to go an entire day without food after lambing in the morning won’t be able to look after her lambs.”. Handcrafted Wood Furniture. Maiden ewes, however, are given a second chance. “The genetics of these animals are exceptional, and the sheep are adapted to our production conditions as they are produced around the corner from us,” he says. Pam and André Christie-Smith spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their production approach. The first Merino Landsheep was imported from Germany in 1956 and quickly adapted to South Africa’s grazing conditions and climate. On the other hand, we regard meat as a by-product of wool production,” says André. It was once part of the historic Zoetendals Vallei farm that belonged to the Van Bredas of Bredasdorp, who owned South Africa’s first commercial Merino flock in 1817. “I like the idea of our wool being used in some of the finest suits made in Italy,” says Pam. South Africa is mainly producing a Merino clip, which comprises over 80% of all lots offered for sale. Wool is obtained from the fleece of sheep, muskoxen, goats, rabbits, camelids, and other animals that possess long hair. • 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. 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. 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