Azerbaijan Mountain Merino

a breed of fine-wooled mountain sheep developed in Azerbaijan by crossing Merino sheep with rams of the Ascanian and Caucasian fine-wooled breeds and using the crosses of the rough-wooled Bozakh sheep with the fine-wooled rams. These animals were established as a breed in 1948. In comparison with other Merino breeds, the Azerbaijan Mountain Merino is more agile, hardy, and well adapted to mountainous regions and to long moves over rough terrain. It is not afflicted by piroplasmosis. Its liveweight is 80–90 kg for rams (sometimes as heavy as 120 kg) and 45–55 kg for ewes (sometimes as heavy as 80 kg). The wool clip is 8–10 kg for rams and 4.5–5 kg for ewes, with the highest yields running to 16 kg and 9 kg, respectively. Wool worsted from these sheep is 64–70 quality and 7–12 cm long. Azerbaijan Mountain Merinos are used to improve the wool qualities of local sheep in Azerbaijan, where they are raised. The best flocks are found on the Put’ Il’icha kolkhoz in Kedabekskii Raion and the Kalinin kolkhoz in Shamkhorskii Raion.