Volume 01: Production and resources of the northern and western districts of New South Wales, 1854 [ca. 1850-1857] - Page 253

THE BREEDING OF MERINO SHEEP

After being slaughtered were, for males fifty six pounds, of ewes fifty two pounds but it must be taken into consideration that sheep in France are not fattened to the same state as with us. Consequently additional weight per quarter may be safely allowed.
The number of sheep at Rambouillet on the 31 of July 1854 was 620, of which 118 were males and remainder females.
Previous to the last sale there were 700 sheep - Of those sold thirty Bucks were for Austria, & forty were taken off by breeders in different parts of France - The average price of the bucks was a little above one hundred dollars { £22.10/-[ }?] each - The highest price was four hundred dollars.
There were purchased by private sale for America sixteen ewes and one buck. The price of the ewes was twenty dollars.
As wool not flesh constitutes the value of the Merino, they must be judges of, mainly by the value of the fleece - Lambs are usually dropped in November & December & the shearing Commences in June - The first clip is therefore from sheep about eight months old - The average weight of the fleece of males at this age is three & a half pounds - A deduction must be made from the above as the sheep are never washed - The deduction on this account may however be balanced by the fact that the wool on the head, neck, and legs of the young sheep is not clipped.
The covering of the wool is found to be essential for the health of young sheep, to protect the head from the heat of summer, & from the cold of winter -
The average weight of fleece in males of twenty months old is usually fourteen pounds. The average weight of fleece in females from twenty
months to six years old eight to nine pounds or eight pounds. After six years the weight of the fleece falls off. The Ewe produces the finest quality of wool.
The following is an outline of the method of breeding and keeping the sheep at Rambouillet. The best bucks are selected for service, but are not retained for more than two, or at the most three seasons. The Ewes are generally set aside after having had three crops of lambs, but those Ewes which produce superior fleeces are kept one or two seasons additional - the inferior males
are not used at all.
The flock at Rambouillet is kept housed from November till April and during the rest of the year the ewes are turned out to pastures in the morning & again in the afternoon after rest & Shelter at noon, while

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Volume 01: Production and resources of the northern and western districts of New South Wales, 1854 [ca. 1850-1857] - Page 253

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