Merinos are primarily grown for wool production, although improved carcass quality gives this breed a dual purpose. They are large framed and relatively plain bodied, producing a heavy fleece which is soft handling with a fiber diameter of 20-22 microns.

Rambouillet is the “backbone” of the American Sheep Industry, forming the foundation of most western range flocks and raised throughout the United States. The Rambouillet descends entirely from the Spanish Merino.