The finer the wool, the softer, lighter, and more versatile it becomes. Merino wool stands out as one of the finest available, with Superfine Merino measuring only a quarter the width of a human hair! This remarkable fineness contributes to the exceptional softness of Merino wool, allowing the long, delicate fibers to bend more easily than traditional wool. These fibers are so fine that they do not cause itching, and the highest-quality Merino wool rivals the luxurious feel of cashmere.
While Merino sheep are most renowned in Australia and New Zealand, their origins trace back to Spain, where they were introduced by the Berbers, a North African tribe, before the 13th century. For the next 400 years, Spain held a monopoly over the fine wool market, exporting to the rest of Europe. This dominance was so lucrative that, until the 18th century, smuggling a Merino sheep out of the country was punishable by death.
During the Napoleonic Wars, American diplomats began exporting the breed in significant numbers to the United States, particularly in Vermont, sparking a frenzy for what became known as Vermont Merinos.
The end of the Napoleonic Wars marked the decline of Spain’s monopoly on fine wool. Other countries started importing Merino sheep to establish their own breeding programs. Initially introduced to South Africa, they later spread to Tasmania, Australia, and then New Zealand.
Vermont Merinos were characterized by coarser wool compared to their Australian counterparts, as well as having more skin. Vermont breeders prioritized quantity over quality, breeding sheep with extra skin to increase wool production through additional wrinkles.
In an effort to enhance the wool industry, Australian breeders imported 12 Vermont rams in the 1880s. Although these Vermont sheep produced higher fleece weights, their clean yield was subpar. The increased grease content led to more instances of flystrike, while the wool was shorter and uneven, resulting in lower lambing percentages. Additionally, the wrinkles created challenges during shearing and posed health issues.
The major challenge in reverting to clean-bodied sheep was the lack of suitable rams. The wool industry was overwhelmed with wrinkly sheep. Even into the 1950s and 60s, some breeders still believed that wrinkly sheep yielded more wool. However, by the 1970s, even the staunchest advocates for wrinkly sheep recognized the need for change in breeding priorities.
Considering that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits, all leading sheep-producing nations have phased out wrinkled sheep. However, a recent trend has emerged among farmers in the Kashmir Valley, who are now breeding sheep for a high degree of skin folds (wrinkled Merino), despite the declining fine wool industry in the region. This preference persists even though the trait negatively impacts production and reproductive performance.
Notable disadvantages of wrinkled Merino
- Breeds with higher skin mass yield lower carcass and dressing percentages.
- Wrinkled skin is more prone to flystrike, where flies lay eggs in the warm folds, leading to painful infestations.
- Rams with excessive skin folds exhibit lower fertility and semen quality compared to smooth-skinned rams, likely due to better testicle temperature regulation in smooth rams.
- Wrinkled sheep tend to exhibit worse scarring from shearing and more processing damage from the slaughter process than plain-bodied sheep.
- Plain-bodied sheep tend to grow faster and have higher lambing percentages, thereby enhancing farmers income, the opposite happens with wrinkled.
- Sheep with smooth skin generally achieve better conception rates, twinning percentages, and lower mortality rates among ewes and lambs.
Pertinently, an article published in March 2022 by the Sheep Husbandry Department at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Shuhama, concluded that the trend of breeding Kashmir Merino for skin wrinkles would dilute and deteriorate all production and reproduction traits. Increased skinfolds adversely affect wool, mutton, reproduction, and carcass characteristics. The practice of prioritizing skin folds in breeding should be discouraged, with a recommendation for early castration of lambs exhibiting excessive skin folds.
Jammu and Kashmir’s economy is predominantly agrarian, with about 70% of the population engaged in agriculture and related sectors. Despite the region’s political and economic challenges, agriculture remains a vital pillar supporting our rural and economic sustenance.
The practice of raising sheep plays a significant role in creating employment opportunities. For many in rural areas, it serves as a secondary source of income, while for traditional herding communities such as Gujjars, Chopans, and Changpas, it remains their primary livelihood. The sheep husbandry sector holds immense potential for generating jobs and supporting the local economy.
Addressing malpractices like the breeding of wrinkled sheep within the sheep farming community that compromise product quality and sustainability is crucial. To align with the mission of genetic improvement in livestock and enhance productivity, the concerned department must actively engage in this initiative.
With proper genetics and management, the sheep community can significantly improve their breeds within two generations. It is now our collective responsibility to educate sheep farmers, particularly breeders, on the importance of better genetics to prevent devastating effects on the Kashmir sheep industry in the decades to come.
