The town became prosperous with the introduction of Saxon Merino sheep. During the 1820s, interest in Merino sheep increased. This crop conveniently arrived as a replacement for the disappearance of the Merino sheep trade. Attenborough discusses the deforestation caused by Spanish Merino sheep grazing and the Venetian shipbuilding industry. On Pitt Island there are several flocks of feral Saxon Merino sheep. In 1805 John Macarthur established his property at Camden where he raised merino sheep. This strain of Merino sheep has been bred for milk production. The Duke also sent purebred merino sheep. Farming in the area is dedicated almost entirely to horses and merino sheep. By the 17th century, the "Mesta" held upwards of two million head of merino sheep. Merino sheep were introduced to Vermont in 1802. He owned a large herd of thoroughbred cattle, 8000 merino sheep and four hundred horses. This is where he ran merino sheep on the property. His brother Alexander Borthwick Murray was also a highly successful breeder of Merino sheep. The Peppin Merino sheep was first bred in the area around Wanganella.