Kleiheuwel, situated near L’Agulhas in the Western Cape’s Overberg region, has a rich farming heritage. Cowgirlblues is a Cape Town-based dye house and design studio specialising in South African wool and mohair. Texture. Kleiheuwel Trust, based in Bredasdorp, recently achieved one of the top 10 best prices in the history of South African wool sales, and the highest price during the previous season’s BKB wool auctions. There are more than 27 000 wool producers (mostly Merino) in South Africa producing a total of just over 100 mil. The problem, however, is that buyers, like everybody else in the country, don’t know what is going to happen in South Africa, making them hesitant to get too closely involved with farms here,” he says. Sixty-three percent of the ewes that produce twins or multiples have multiples the year after. “By feeding twice a day, we ensure that the ewes have constant access to fresh food. © 2021 Farmer's Weekly Magazine | Caxton Magazines Digital |, Meet one of SA’s top Merino wool producers, Israeli technologies could boost SA agriculture, Easy-to-grow brinjals ensure steady profits, Backyard broiler business: Start small, dream big, Langkloof hailstorm damages apple, pear crop, Early rainfall could lead to fall armyworm infestations, Invitation for Expression of Interest In Milk Afric, ‘Farmers cannot afford to pay higher wages’ – agri role players. On the other hand, we regard meat as a by-product of wool production,” says André. It is a pretty new breed and was actually developed in the late 1930s. André regularly attends BKB auctions in Port Elizabeth to strengthen ties with buyers, and the farm has established itself as a fine wool producer, with many wool buyers seeking it out. He can now present more lines of wool at auction, garnering much higher returns. Machine wash? In time, John Albertyn bought all his rams at production auctions from breeders such as Staatmaker Merinos, Patryskraal Merinos, and Komarsekraal in the Southern Cape. Handcrafted Wood Furniture. Consequently, the South African woolgrower can give much more individual attention to his flock and take preventative steps to avoid flystrike. • Konsortium-Merino uses Mother Nature as chief classer and breeds a sheep which is adapted accordingly. As a result, the industry consistently generates a high quality, environmentally sound product for international markets. The first Merino Landsheep was imported from Germany in 1956 and quickly adapted to South Africa’s grazing conditions and climate. André plants 300ha a year in a rotation of wheat with feed crops, such as triticale and oats, as well as barley, of which some is sold to the malting industry. I first heard of merino wool being used in sportswear about 10 years ago when Icebreaker, the New Zealand merino clothing company, entered the South African market. The cheapest offer starts at R 700. EASY CARE High performing Merino Wool is durable and easy to care for. Animals are normally sheered annually and … The South African Meat Merino or SAMM is a wool and meat sheep originating in South Africa, but now found throughout the world. New Yarns & Shades Sirdar Adventure Haworth Tweed DK Country Classic Worsted Snuggly Replay Sirdar Jewelspun Sirdar Saltaire Snuggly Snowflake Chunky. Feeding The feeding regime has also been improved: “Merinos are unlikely to get too fat, with higher consumption generally turning into better wool yields. Rockdale 05-0182 RR, SAMM in Australia. They are not polled, so can stand their ground against most predators. The wool diameter averages 18,7 microns for the flock as a whole and 17,5 microns for young ewes. Underrated wethers Merino Wool South Africa was invited to the Mohair Summit with a Merino Wool range, made by fashion designer Karen Ter Morshuizen, from Lunar. Core Merino started out a little bit differently. It’s worth it to buy #naturalfiber products. BKB classes the young ewes at around nine months of age, based primarily on the quality of their wool. I am proud of the high quality fibres that South African farmers produce, so (with the exception of bamboo) work with yarns that come from SA farms and are locally spun. Also, the Schachenmayr website has a number of free sock and … Crops, meat and wool account equally for the farm’s income, but the operation is geared towards wool production. Regia Premium looks particularly attractive in small Fair Isle and plait patterns. Rams usually have horns and ewes usually are polled. Culled animals are sold to an abattoir in the Eastern Cape. • The average flock size in South Africa is considerably smaller than in Australia. Despite the name, the breed is a dual-purpose animal and raised for both meat and wool production. South Africa is a vast and beautiful country with a rich history of sheep and wool farming. Parasitic infestation of the body of a live mammal by fly larvea that grow inside the host while feeding on its tissue. As a result, the industry consistently generates a high quality, environmentally sound product for international markets. Clearance I hand select my yarns to ensure they are the best quality merino wool, mohair, bamboo and cotton available. 100% Merino Wool Chunky Knit Blankets, Throws & Decor Hand Crafted. Spain became noted for its fine wool (spinning count between 60s and 64s) in the late 15th century, and by the mid-16th century its merino wool was acknowledged to equal that of the finest English wools. This history stretched back as far as 1789, when the Dutch Government donated two Spanish Merino Rams and four Spanish Merino Ewes to Col. Jacob Gordon, the military commander at the Cape at that time, on an experimental basis. Recently Added Need inspiration? The Merino is the oldest sheep breed in the world. Made from 100% South African Merino Wool. A… Trumps Merino Stud - … The earliest evidence of fine Spanish wool exports were to Italy in the 1390s and Flanders in the 1420s, although in both cases fine English wool was preferred. Through breeding, farmers have over the years adapted the sheep to market demands and environmental conditions. The rams are dosed with 20ml wheat germ once a week for a month to ensure they are in top form by the time they are placed with the ewes, while the ewes receive preformulated supplements from two weeks before the mating season starts in October until six weeks after they have lambed. Today it is a common breed of sheep and found throughout the world. That’s wool for you – kind to you and kind to the planet. NR 17 #slippers and custom made calf length #boots in 100% Sheepskin. 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