History Of The Afrino
During the late 1960's, a request was made to the Department of Agriculture by the wool industry, via the South African Agricultural Union, to develop a white woolled breed for the extensive sheep grazing areas.
This Breed:
1. Had to be free of kemp and coloured fibres;
2. Had to produce a good slaughter lamb at an early age;
3. Had to have a good reproductive ability.
4. Had to be hardy and well adapted to the environment of the extensive grazing areas;
Consequently, a breeding project was initiated at the Carnarvon Experimental Station in the North-western Karoo in 1969, whereby it was attempted to develop a white woolled mutton sheep, which combined the quality wool of the Merino with the reproductive performance and mutton producing abilities of the mutton breeds.
In 1976 it was evident that the cross consisting of 25% Merino, 25% Ronderib Afrikaner and 50% SA Mutton Merino best fulfilled the requirements set for the new breed. It was decided to retain only this cross for further upgrading and development of the breed that is today known as the Afrino. On 5 February 1980, the Afrino Sheep Breeders' Society was established at a meeting on the Carnarvon Experimental Station and breed standards for this new white woolled mutton breed were drawn up.
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