Posts Tagged ‘Merino blood’
GROVELAND’S EST A LAINE MERINO
Merino sheep originated in North Africa descended from a strain of sheep developed during the reign of Claudius, from 14 to 37 A.D. They spread via the Spanish and French royal families to northern Europe. The original Merinos were a wool sheep, who sheared a very heavy, fine fleece. They were also quite small in size. Read the rest of this entry »
Hog Island Sheep
About 200 years ago a flock of sheep was established on Hog Island, one of Virginia’s barrier islands located off its Eastern Shore. The sheep were already native to the area and are believed to have had a substantial amount of Merino blood in them. There were occasional subsequent introductions to the population, the last being in 1953, when a Hampshire ram was taken to the island. In 1974, the island was sold to The Nature Conservancy, which decided to remove all the sheep and cattle. Read the rest of this entry »