78 BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



weigh at maturity 130 pounds or more, and the ewes around 

 100 pounds. Those with folds weigh the least, while the 

 smooth-bodied ones are larger. Merino sheep are very hardy 

 and thrive on ordinary pasture. They run together in flocks 

 much better than any other breed, and so are easily managed 

 by shepherds and dogs when on great ranges or pastures. 

 Large numbers of sheep that have Merino blood in them 

 come into the markets, but really are of mutton parentage. 

 They make excellent mutton, and are liked by butchers 

 because they are neither too large nor too fat. More pure- 

 bred flocks are found today in Ohio than in any other state, 

 although New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan have 

 flocks also. West of the Mississippi there are large numbers 

 of these sheep on the range. 



The Rambouillet sheep is a breed of Merinos that has 

 been especially developed by the French Government. In 

 1786 King Louis XVI of France sent a man to Spain to bring 

 back a selection of Merinos. These were brought to one 

 of the royal farms about 40 miles west of Paris, at a town 

 named Rambouillet. Here on this estate the government 

 has bred the descendants of these sheep for 125 years. They 

 were introduced into America in 1840, and for many years 

 were known as French Merinos. About 1890 the name 

 Rambouillet came into use, and now the term French Merino 

 is rarely used. These sheep have all the common features 

 of the smooth-bodied Merino. However, it is the very 

 largest family of this breed, and has been at times called 

 the "Elephant Merino." The ram weighs about 185 

 pounds at maturity, though some have weighed 250 pounds, 

 and the ewes weigh around 150 pounds. This family is 

 known as a mutton Merino, and a mutton form is an impor- 

 tant feature. Thus one may expect a broad back and a 

 thick leg of mutton in a good specimen of the Rambouillet. 



