German Mutton Merino

The breed has a prolificacy of 1.3–1.5 and tends to breed out of season; to rear lambs without problems, attention must go to lambing preparation and adequate milk. Lambs show excellent growth, feed conversion and conformation.

It is suited to improving the meat traits of the Hungarian Merino and, crossed with any breed, to producing quality finished lambs with better carcass quality and dressing percentage. In Germany woollier, more covered types have also entered breeding, and their influence shows in Hungary through imported rams.

The body approaches ideal meat conformation. The head is medium-sized and broad with large ears carried sideways; the face and lower legs are usually not wooled. The neck is short and well muscled, the chest wide, deep and round, the back straight, the rump wide and well muscled and the thighs full. The wool is distinctly Merino-type, forming a white, closed fleece.