Towards the end of 2013, veteran sheep farmer, Hilson Shuman of Grey Craig farm, near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, made South African Merino history when he delivered his 60th wool clip to Lappersonne Wools broker in Port Elizabeth. In 2016, he broke the World Wool Clip record with 63 clips behind his name. In 2018, Hilson continued his record streak with a 65th Wool Clip. The National Woolgrowers Association (NWGA) and all affiliated sectors joined together to congratulate Hilson on this unique achievement. In celebration of this, a remarkable phenomenon of dedication, it was decided that this article would showcase one of South Africa's most fascinating Merino farming histories. Click here to view original article.
A Description of the Merino by T.P. van der Walt
A Merino is a type of sheep possessing as to form a certain fixed set of composite physical characteristics in accordance with the required background of Life: this is constitution. At the same time, it possesses the additional quality of yielding a valuable fibre, namely wool. All of this has been harmonised to justify and make possible its existence. Therefore, these characteristics can never be approached separately from each other.
It cannot be otherwise. Constitution which, in other words is life, the foundation of our breeding. This is the most sort after characteristic which supplies the whole of the infallible background of the scientically required wool fibre. In other words, without the animal's constitution there can be no question of a desirable wool fibre.
Wool grows...
