These are the five most economically important breeds of sheep distributed throughout Argentina

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Merino

The fusion of Merino blood from different types introduced from Spain, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and France at the beginning of the last century, originated in the Argentine Republic a new breed specialised in producing excellent wool. It is now the most numerous breed in the world. It is the breed of wool par excellence, sought after for its fineness and quality, with the highest worldwide demand and price. It is characterised by its white colour, softness, and density.

The Argentine Merino breed achieved remarkable diffusion throughout the country, especially in areas with poor soil, demonstrating its adaptability and resilience.

It is impossible to establish precisely what kind of Merino predominated in the formation of the Argentinean, as the Sajones, Negretes, and Rambouillets intervened and crossed, resulting in a more robust body and a heavier fleece, which was the status of the Argentinian Merino at the beginning of this century.

From the decade of the ’40s, with the intention of the improvement of its wool, there began a series of imports of Australian Merino rams, which has a superior quality of wool (length, softness, colour, elasticity and yield) allied to a rusticity appreciable, which make the product of this crossbreeding a modern animal, producer of fine wool, of great adaptability for the exploitation of fields with scarce vegetation and severe weather, as they are predominantly in Patagonia.

These conditions largely absorbed the Argentine Merino into the Australian Merino, resulting in an animal with fewer wrinkles, a better shape, and higher-quality wool.

Today, the population of Merino is mainly based in the three Patagonian provinces: Río Negro, Chubut, and Santa Cruz, with less significant centres in the Provinces Of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, and Neuquén. The current stock in Argentina is approximately 7 million, with 55% in the province of Chubut.

Corriedale

The original formation of this breed occurred on the South Island of New Zealand, inspired by James Little, who began cross-breeding among the sheep groups in the region in 1866.

His idea was to achieve a better, more robust sheep than the Merino and produce a heavier fleece than this breed, which was undoubtedly the most widespread worldwide.

The new animals, which took the name Corriedale because they were bred in that location, had the following genetic composition: 50% Merino and 50% Lincoln, established through selective breeding.

The Corriedale has visible mucous membranes pigmented like hooves, skin depigmented, and a white fleece. It is a dual-purpose breed that produces early lambs and medium-weight, heavy wool, characterised by a semi-compact, square fleece with a diameter of 27-32 microns. It is a rustic animal with an extensive grazing adaptation. It adapts to temperate, cold, semi-arid, and sub-humid climates.

With a population estimated at 5 to 6 million, it is the race with the most significant geographical distribution in the country. It is bred in the south of Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego, the Pampa Prairie and in Mesopotamia.

The race is also used in other regions to cross with the local Creole flocks.
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Creoles or of no defined race

The first sheep were introduced in Argentina in the mid-sixteenth century, with the expeditions of conquest and colonisation of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, from Paraguay, Peru, and Chile. These sheep were extensively managed, resulting in a mixed and dispersed population for a prolonged period, which gave rise to a breed known as “Creoles”.

This type of sheep is common in the North of Argentina, specifically in the provinces of NEA, Argentino, Córdoba, and Cuyo.

In fact, in many Latin American countries, most of their sheep are “Creole”. However, it is not possible to consider a single homogeneous genotype, but rather a series of genotypes adapted to the specific production systems in each country and region.

In Argentina, Creole sheep are bred alongside goats in subsistence systems. They are presented in different colours (white, brown, Black and overs), generally of small size, with an acceptable reproductive rate, with no reproductive seasonality marked but with light fleeces, of hollow and coarse fibres.

Wool is used in handicrafts. Creole sheep are breeds adapted to low-resource systems. Their indiscriminate replacement by “improved” breeds had resulted in failures when they were not accompanied by improvements in production conditions. There is little documented information about this critical animal resource.

Romney Marsh

It originated in Britain and is bred for dual purposes. It produces early lambs, and its fleece is medium-fibre. It Is distinguished by its maternal ability and remarkable prolificacy, being able, in many cases, to raise triplets. It Is sturdy and of excellent rusticity and can live in high humidity and temperate climates.

The population of this breed in Argentina lives on the coast and in the Cuenca del Salado (Buenos Aires).

Ideal or Polwarth

It was developed In Australia around 1880 from Merino of Saxony and Lincoln in complex crosses. It has ¾ Merino and ¼ Lincoln.

It is appreciated for the quality of its fine-cross wool (24 to 27 microns in adult animals) and acceptable conformation of lambs. Its population is estimated at 300,000, but it is in expansion mode.

Some producers run genetic improvement programs by selecting and incorporating studs from neighbouring countries and highly developed sheep countries, such as New Zealand and Australia.

Source: Agritotal

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