merino (n.) fine-wool breed of sheep originally from Spain, 1781, from Spanish merino, possibly from Arabic Merini, a Berber family or tribe of sheep farmers in northwest Africa whose animals were imported into Spain 14c.-15c.

The "B" type Merino was developed principally in Ohio.

It was particularly well adapted to semiarid climates and to nomadic pasturing.

The Merino is a breed of fine-wool sheep originating in Spain; it was known as early as the 12th century. In 1840 there was 1 Merino family living in Pennsylvania. The most Merino families were found in the USA in 1920. It results from breeders selecting for a heavy fleece on a sheep that has a fair mutton form. They are not advocated for commercial lamb and wool production. Merinos vary considerably in size, conformation, and extent of skin folds, but the prevailing trend in breeding is to develop sheep of medium size, with fair mutton conformation and a minimum of skin folds. The Merino family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. These sheep need to be in the hands of the skilled breeder. You can see how Merino families moved over time by selecting different census years. It is a small sheep with ewes weighing 85 to 100 pounds. This was 100% of all the recorded Merino's in the USA.