rambouillet

Rambouillet

Rambouillet.....the dual purpose breed

History

The Rambouillet had its origin among the Moors of North Africa during the Fourteenth Century. Distant ancestors of today's Rambouillet accompanied Moorish conquerors to Spain, and their descendants were left behind when the Spaniards drove the invaders out. Spain's resulting Merinos were a valuable legacy of that otherwise unhappy period, along with Europe's first true horse culture. Both were jealously guarded. The quality of Merino wool allowed the Spaniards to dominate the European wool trade, and to maintain that dominance the government strictly forbade export of the precious breed. Spain did export much of its raw wool clip, however, for lack of sufficient processing capacity. Neighboring France was a major buyer and became heavily dependent upon a stable supply to keep its own mills in operation. By the mid-eighteenth century, the French began to fear that increasing Spanish industrialization might lead to an embargo on Merino wool as well as Merino sheep. That concern and the desire to develop domestic production to offset it may have played a large part in Louis XVI's establishment of the experimental farm at his Rambouillet estate. The farm was advertised as a place where examples of the choicest plants and animals from around the world would be studied. High on the list, if it could be obtained, was the Spanish Merino. If such flattery was a ploy, it worked where direct entreaties had failed. As a gift to his cousin Louis, the King of Spain ordered that a small flock representing the finest strains of Merinos be released for export to the Rambouillet farm. A total of 318 ewes, 41 rams and 7 wethers arrived at Rambouillet on October 12, 1786. It was the first significant release of Merinos to the outside world and except for one small addition provided the sole basis of the eventual Rambouillet breed.    More....