Ram & Lamb 2022

KONONGWOOTONG

Konongwootong Dorsets is situated amongst the rolling hills at Konongwootong, North of Coleraine.

Our focus at Konongwootong is to produce a line of commercially profitable, high performing, low maintenance Poll Dorset rams to suit the demands and needs of today’s prime lamb producer. We breed rams that will sire excellent prime lambs perfectly targeted at the Export and Trade markets: thus, giving the producer the best opportunity to maximise their marketing opportunities.

At Konongwootong we conduct a strict bio-security plan. Our flock is Brucellosis accredited free and we hold an MN2V status in the MAP OJD programme. Our vaccination programme started in 2002 therefore all our stock are at least second generation vaccinates. Our flock rams are paddock reared on good quality pastures, ensuring they are ‘paddock hardened” and ready to work from purchase.

Structural correctness is an important factor in our assessment process of the bloodlines in our flock, in addition to utilising the Lambplan Performance Recording System since its inception. We also utilise Prime Scan and Stockscan in our assessment processes to identify other positive attributes in our stock.

As well as our Poll Dorset stud, we run 3800 commercial self-replacing Dorset Coopworth cross ewes showing our commitment to, and awareness of the challenges and needs of the prime lamb producer.

At Sheepvention this year we were very pleased to win Grand Champion Ram and Most Successful Ram Exhibitor. Our Grand Champion Ram (21-242) is a son of Konong 17-001 and continues the Shirlee Downs bloodline. At Sheepvention he scanned 50mm eye muscle on 120kg. He is extremely well put together and beautifully balanced ram with plenty of meat where it count, displaying all the characteristics that we strive to display at Konongwootong Dorsets.

Clients are invited to view our rams at our Open Day on Sunday 9th October, between 10am -2pm, or make an appointment prior to our sale day.

Our on property Ram Sale is on Thursday 20th October, with the auction starting at 11am, and being conducted jointly online with AuctionsPlus.

Our agents from Kerr & Co and J.M.E Livestock will be working closely with AuctionPlus to ensure our auction proceeds smoothly. A link to the video of each ram will be on our website with his facts and figures closer to our sale date.

Dates to remember:

Sunday 9th October Konongwootong

Open Day 10am-2pm @ 428 Zig Zag Rd Konongwootong

Thursday 20th October. Annual Ram Sale 11am @ 428 Zig Zag Rd Konongwootong

QUICK. Putting Poll Dorset rams in your paddocks means you can bank on breeding lambs with rapid growth and consistent quality that demand a premium price. The key in any lamb production system is the amount of time required to produce a saleable product. Poll Dorset’s have very high growth

The breed’s entrenched background is one of early maturity, meaning lambs are sale ready and “finished” for market at an earlier age. This is QUANTITY AND QUICK

reasons prime lamb producers, and processors, prefer Poll Dorsets.

Poll Dorset sired lambs continue to be the most profitable in prime lamb production. Whether it be a Merino, first cross or composite dam. Poll Dorset rams will produce lambs that consistently reach target weights faster.

QUALITY. The lambs yield, consistency and eating quality means processors prefer Poll Dorset’s, and will seek them out first to fill direct to works orders and compete on them at the saleyards. Which means not only are producers getting the lambs out of their systems and money in their bank earlier than with any other prime lamb sire – they are also receiving a premium price.

QUANTITY. Poll Dorset Rams are renowned for their fertility. Rams have the ability to work at any time of the year and from an early age. Due to this characteristic, joining time can be radically reduced therefore creating a compact short lambing season. Multiple births are the norm.

rates that enable lambs to reach targeted market weights quickly, being trade ready from 12 weeks of age.

a major advantage to the prime lamb producer, with reduced management costs. Poll Dorset’s have the added advantage of continuing their growth through to heavy export weight lambs, giving lamb producers marketing options for their business. The majority of lambs meeting the market on time, every time, is one of the

Poll Dorset sired suckers broke the National saleyard new season lamb price record twice in 2021. Poll Dorset sired lambs also reached a record high $330, for the Hamilton Saleyards.

Poll Dorsets finish first. Purchase Poll Dorset Rams bred in your Region For your Region.

ABOVE: Prime lambs sired by Poll Dorset Rams

SOLID RESULTS AT CHROME

The last couple of years has presented some challenges for marketing and sale of livestock, however the confidence in proven products and outcomes has ensured the good ones have sailed through quite well. Chrome Sheep Studs has embraced online marketing to run alongside the physical traditional type marketing systems for their on-property ram sales. Now the “norm” for the marketing of many products and services it looks like online selling is here to stay.

Chrome principal Matt Tonissen said, “We have been impressed by the continued support from many long-term and new clients over the last 2 years. The results demonstrate that hard the work of the Chrome team, incorporating visual and performance data recording, and a progressive quality genetic improvement program, are meeting client’s business objectives”.

Self-Replacing Maternals

When it comes to maternal genetics Chrome has all bases covered. Three breed options offer producers a range of rams to suit their needs, across varying climates, lambing dates, and ewe bases.

The Chromedale is the mainstay of the maternal flock and is the preferred self-replacing option for most producers.

The Chromedale “ELFie” (Early Lambing Flocks) is a maternal

strain of rams that are designed to produce daughters to lamb earlier than the traditional maternals.

The Perendale offers that extra element of hardiness, worm resistance and slightly smaller frame score.

Coopworths, which are slightly stronger in the wool, cross well with merino ewes and cope especially well in higher rainfall zones.

All maternal ewes are bred for high fertility, lamb survival, worm resistance, tough wellstructured feet, and the potential to mate ewe lambs. Selection for moderate frame score and mature ewe weight is also important, as is ewe efficiency. All these traits add up to an easy-care resilient breeding ewe, capable of toughing it out in the extreme conditions of Southern Australia, both in the wet and the dry.

2000 ewes mated and another 1000 ewe lambs results in high numbers of recorded lambs, which ensures only the best rams make it through to sale.

Terminal Sires

A real success story, the Icon Southie has been a great initiation, bred to supply a fast growing early maturing terminal sire, which is also suitable as a terminal sire for maidens, ewe lambs and merino ewes. Now containing predominantly Southdown genetics, the

early maturing attributes result in a very easy doing lamb that is marketable straight off mum or easily finished. Their tight downsy skins also make them an attractive option on strong wool ewes and for saleyard selling.

“It’s great to hear so many success stories regarding the Icon Southies”

The Icon Poll Dorset leg of the Terminal sires at Chrome offer a stable traditional meat sheep option with a difference. Shorter in the leg, early maturing and lots of muscle makes for easy doing sheep that offer great shape and carcass. Gone are the days of big, long leggy slow maturing terminal sires. In Matt’s opinion “Lambs sired from high growth early maturing sires are the way of the future”

Chrome provides a range of additional support to their clients, with free ram delivery, a structural soundness guarantee, and to help volume buyers, every sixth ram is free at their sales.

Matt makes himself available to visit clients’ farms to help assess the ram team and provide an up-to-date ASBV list they have in their sire team. “One of the most rewarding things about doing what we do is seeing our commercial clients prosper and progress to run more efficient and profitable operations” Matt said.

The Chrome Open Day on the 3rd Oct is a great opportunity to catch up for a chat and have a

Icon Southie

Icon Southie

Icon Poll Dorset

TOO MANY LAMBS?

Warrawindi Farms has always understood the benefits of combining the traits of different sheep breeds to produce the most profitable product. The East Friesian, a dairy breed which can be quite fragile as a pure bred in Australia, but when it is crossed with other breeds it becomes hardy and still posses its milk and maternal attributes.

All of the maternal composite sheep breeds in Australia have a percentage of East Friesian in them. Imagine 150%, 175%,

200% these percentages are not scanning numbers these are marking and weaning numbers. These numbers are possible with the right amount of East Friesian genetics in your ewe flock. Warrawindi have proven that these results are possible, East Friesians have the milk and maternal ability to rear every lamb that hits the ground. With so many multiple pregnancies lifting lamb birth weights from 3-4kg to 5-6kg is also a major key factor to lamb survive ability without causing lambing problems.

Warrawindi Poll Dorsets have been designed to fit the next piece in the puzzle, selecting rams with above average birth weights that are strong and robust but still have good lambing ease. Warrawindi Poll Dorset’s are high yielding with extra fat coverage producing amazing weights at younger ages. So, to answer the question with the right genetics and feed management loads of lambs are possible, YES!

Naturally increasing lambing percentage, ethically and

sustainability without the use of drugs or chemicals

We invite you to come and look at our Border Leicester/East Friesian cross rams and Poll Dorset Rams at our 18th Annual Ram sale.

On Friday the 14th Oct. 22 starting at 10am.

Sale consisting of 150 Border Leicester/East Friesian cross rams, 150 Poll Dorset rams, 30 Suffolk rams and 10 Suffolk ewes.

PICTURED: Border Leicester X East Friesian Stud Ewe

CASHMORE OAKLEA FOR THE BEST RETURNS FOR THE LEAST INPUTS

Sheep that will perform well and stand up to challenging conditions

Years of careful selection and detailed performance recording have proven their worth for Cashmore Oaklea, with the stud being one of the largest suppliers of maternal genetics in Australia.

The Cashmore Oaklea team have a united focus on producing an easy-care sheep that will provide them and their clients with the

best returns for the least inputs. The major focus on increased fertility, milk production, growth rate, carcase attributes and resistance to internal parasites continues to remain at the forefront for Cashmore Oaklea. Their whole aim is to produce sheep that will perform well and stand up to challenging conditions.

Cashmore Oaklea’s annual

ram sale of 500 elite maternal composite and 250 nudie rams will be held on Friday October the 7th 2022, conducted exclusively on Auctions Plus with the 1st sale commencing at 11 am AEDT, 2nd sale at 12 noon and 3rd sale at 1pm.

Open days will be held at both Oaklea on Friday 30th September and Cashmore Park on Monday 3rd

October, where the sale rams will be on display for inspection.

The catalogue will again have extensive information on the ASBVs and phenotype of each ram. The rams will all be videoed and shown on Auctions Plus.

ABOVE: See the quality on offer at Cashmore Oaklea’s sale

PROLIFIC SHEEP

Producing ewes which will scan at 200% in one cross can be done by using rams carrying two copies of the Booroola gene. The Multimeat,, Prolific White and Prolific Dorper all carry two copies of the gene. The Multimeat has been tested across eastern Australia and shown to be 25% more profitable than Composites or Crossbreds. It is expected that the prolific, shedding genotypes will show a similar advantage.

Management systems for these prolific sheep are well established. Controlling mating weights keeps the number of lambs born to manageable levels. Coupled with good nutrition in late pregnancy enables a turnoff of 160%.

The major advantage of these genotypes is that they can conceive 200% of lambs at a condition score of 2.7. or around 60 kilograms at mating. Their mature weights are also moderate (60-65 kgs). The

combination of high fecundity and moderate mature size means that these sheep are much more efficient than other composites and shedding breeds. The industry’s shift to huge maternal sheep will significantly reduce the efficiency of production and profitability of prime lamb enterprises. These concepts are well researched and computer modelling confirms that the production system we have developed are the most efficient

for producing meat. This is further confirmed by the observation that genotypes containing prolific genes are becoming increasingly used around the world.

The development of prolific shedding breeds will enable them to compete in meat production with traditional breeds on a per hectare basis.

For further information contact Dr Colin Earl on 0428647457 or at earl.kerami@bigpond.com

‘ One of the biggest challenges facing the Australian sheep industry in history’ is how the drench resistance issue in our sheep industry has been described by leading experts. The fact that many sheep flocks throughout the country are now facing the reality of hitting a wall of drench resistance – reaching a point where no drench will work to combat worms in their sheep due to the over use of anthelmintics is a major concern.

built into their Perendale bloodlines over the past decade. The Mount Monmot stud has sourced their stud bloodlines from the awardwinning Newhaven Perendale stud in New Zealand since 2011 with a proven resilience to worm burdens. Newhaven have not had to drench their lambs or ewes for over 30 years now, due to their work on creating a highly innovative, proven nil-drench genetic gains programme.

“We offer a very unique opportunity for Australian sheep farmers to source low-drench genetics infused with 50 years of New Zealand genetic gains” says

Malcolm Fletcher of Skipton’s Mount Monmot stud. “The fact that we now only drench our lambs once in their lifetime is pretty exciting and we are proud to be able to offer these genetics in our Perendale sale rams to our clients.” Malcolm says along with the Perendale’s ability to perform in extremes in feed conditions, impeccable structure and their ability to push through worm burdens without affecting production or needing multiple drenches is a major breakthrough in sheep genetics. Trudy Boyer of the Mount Monmot Stud adds “little did we know just how crucial having the ability to run sheep that

weren’t reliant on worm drenches would be when we started to source our genetics from New Zealand. This is a critical crossroads for our sheep industry – there is no way out of drench resistance unless you have worm resilience genes”.

Mount Monmot Perendales have been blown away by the demand for their self-replacing Perendale rams and urge you to register your interest for rams for this coming selling season at mountmonmot@ gmail.com or calling or texting Trudy on 0419565450. Follow us on Facebook and go to www. mountmonmot.com to read more.

‘Mount Monmot Perendales’ a leading stud based in Skipton, Victoria believe they have the proven answer to this – with ‘nildrench’ genetics having been With 2000 stud Perendale regime, the New Zealand primary flock Australia’s sheep breeders to source these genetics via Skipton’s Mount Monmot Perendale Stud to lead the way in genetic gains

2022 PEMBROKE RAM SALE

Growing rams for the South East of South Australia, Western Districts and the Wimmera

Welcome to the new year of ram sales. We have had a wonderful year both selling and buying of livestock. We have seen amazing prices for both sheep and cattle and a wonderful spring with a reasonably cool summer that set us up for a great autumn break.

This year we have lambed down 1200 Merino ewes to our home bred Border Leicester rams, closer

to 2000 first cross ewes using our own Poll Dorset and White Suffolk rams plus the 540 Stud ewes. Conception rates were as we would expect and we are seeing it in the paddock, lots of twins and triples hitting the ground with a great survival rate. Lambs have plenty of weight in them. We are able to see exactly what our genetics can do running a large commercial enterprise alongside the studs.

Our two terminal studs, Poll Dorset and White Suffolk, have a focus towards increasing the meat yield and turning lambs off quicker, to get more out of each lamb sold and give your breeding ewes an extended rest period before the next mating. The maternal Border Leicester have been consistently high 160% conception rate over the last 5 years. We have now coupled our focus on the balance between fat to muscle of the sheep, plus getting their fleeces tested for a micron score. This will help with the fleece quality of your future 1st Cross ewes. Lambplan gives an easy to interpret system of figures which can give a good outline of the quality of sheep under the skin.

We continue to sell our 18 month old 1st cross ewes in the Naracoorte Blue Ribbon 1st Cross Ewe sale every November, with strong results and very loyal clients. The 1st cross wethers and prime lambs usually end up going over the hooks.

This year we are planning to have an onsite auction on the 6th of October, but also not taking any risk by offering the sale once again on Auctions Plus. All rams will be filmed and put up online with connection to Lambplan to view figures and pedigrees. We will be offering 60 Poll Dorsets, 50 White Suffolks and 60 Border Leicesters. As always the rams will be delivered free of cost to clients.

We are brucellosis accredited and fully vaccinated for OJD. We follow a strict on farm biosecurity plan, use of the JBS accreditation scheme provides another layer to our animal welfare and farm biosecurity.

If there are any questions regarding the studs or our ethos on breeding. Please contact either Ashley on 0437 364 603 or Kathy on 0418 800 789. We are only too willing to help in any way possible. Or you can contact Shaun Minge PPHS 0428 838 899 or Dale Dridan AWN Livestock and Property 0428 171 428

LEFT: Pembroke Poll Dorset 65-2015 used extensively in stud

KURRALEA STUDS

25th annual sale expected to produce strong results

Leading Australian ram producer Kurralea Studs expects a trifecta of good seasons will lead to strong demand at its 25th annual sale on September 27.

The three-breed auction will be held on-property at Kurralea Studs, near Ariah Park in NSW’s Riverina, and to meet demand from interstate buyers, simultaneously online via AuctionsPlus.

The 2021 sale saw records tumble with a total clearance of all 346 Poll Dorset, White Suffolk and Suffolk rams and stud principal Ben Prentice hopes to replicate that success.

“After a few tighter years in 2018-19, we made the decision to reduce our sale offering, as it was apparent people weren’t going to be needing as many rams due to a reduction in ewe numbers”

“Last year, in recognition of the good season and demand from clients our sale offering went up from 300 to nearly 350 rams. We are planning to offer those numbers again at this year’s sale. It’s great to see such enthusiasm in the sheep industry continuing this year.” Mr Prentice said.

Now nearing the completion of the stud’s lambing season Mr Prentice

added, “It has been very productive and a good year so far. We’re really happy with the progeny of a few new sires coming through this year and how they are presenting this early in their development”.

Highlights from this year’s drop are impressive progeny from Poll Dorset sire, Shirlee Downs 2-20 along with great group of lambs from the 2021 sale topping White Suffolk ram, Kurralea 312-20.

The stud is planning to offer at the September auction a similar number of rams to last year’s sale; 170 Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks, and 10 Suffolk rams.

“The rams have enjoyed a good start being on a paddock of oats that has a fair bit of bulk in it. They’re looking good and should present well for the sale”.

“We have just wrapped up shearing and are very happy with how the sale rams have come out of the wool. They are presenting as a very even and consistent line of rams and are shaping up well.”

Mr Prentice expects the upcoming

RIGHT: L to R – Kurralea Stud’s Kim Prentice with Dave Ingram, Hillview Poll Dorset, Mirrool, 2021 Sale’s Lot 2 & 3 Poll Dorset Rams, & Stud Principals Ben & Lucy Prentice.

sale draft will feature rams from some of stud’s top performing sires.

Poll Dorset sire Kurralea 636-17, a ram who has performed exceedingly well over several years will feature heavily. “This is his third drop. He is a very prominent sire and has bred very well for us in recent years,” Mr Prentice said.

A son of 636-17, Kurralea 27-19, will also have his first progeny go through the ring in this year’s sale and is expected to match his father’s success.

“Between them, they will have quite a few in the better end of the sale,” Mr Prentice said. “Particularly, 27-21,109-21, and 288-21 who have stood out amongst the stud ram group”.

Another feature sire, White Suffolk ram Kurralea 9-19, has a first-class group of progeny on offer. Kurralea retained semen use of this sire when

the ram sold in 2020 for a stud White Suffolk record of $20,000.

“This will be our only drop by him, and they’re an outstanding group who will feature heavily in the stud ram section of the White Suffolks”, added Mr Prentice. He noted two of this sire’s stand out sons since lambs are 13-21 and 34-21.

Industry confidence remains strong and Mr Prentice hopes that is reflected in demand, especially on the back of overwhelmingly positive feedback from buyers at the 2021 sale.

Kurralea Studs annual three-breed auction commences at 12.30pm EST on Tuesday 27 September and Ben, Lucy & Kim Prentice look forward to welcoming all current clients and new visitors to this year’s annual sale.

For sale updates and the latest news, visit www.kurralea.com or ‘Kurralea Studs’ Facebook page.

GEMINI PRIME LAMB SIRES

The focus is simple at Gemini Prime Lamb Sires - lamb survival and fast growth.

Principal Craig Mitchell has been breeding White Suffolks for nearly three decades, so he knows what matters to industry and his commercial customers.

“Our focus doesn’t change - low birthweight, lambing ease, fast growing, structurally correct heavy yielding - and performance recorded backed with DNA testing,” Craig said.

The Werneth based Victorian stud will offer 120 White Suffolk rams and 10 Suffolks, all 1.5 years, at its annual spring sale in October, Wednesday 19th, held on-property and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.

Gemini rams have above average terminal Australian Sheep Breeding Values and include plenty in the top 5% of the analysis according to Craig, and their performance data is supported by genomics.

“We have been taking DNA samples for many years and this year we will complete around 300 DNA tests across the progeny of our flock,” Craig said.

“This information helps build the accuracy of our breeding values and allows us to add accuracy to meat eating traits such as

IMF (Intramuscular Fat) and shearforce.”

Craig says Gemini clients are making more enquiries about eating quality traits as they come to the forefront of industry advancements.

“As a stud you need to be aware of what the future is, and still keep in mind that the consumer is king,” he said.

“We need to be improving all the time to meet the needs of the consumer and eating quality traits are becoming more and more important now processors are beginning to adopt measuring and payment of these traits.”

Despite some recent price movement in the lamb market, Craig believes the long-term general outlook for red meat is very positive.

“The outlook for the lamb industry is really good, and the future will be favourable for those producers who are chasing the right profit drivers, as well as quality and quantity,” Craig said.

“Numbers per head is important, but so is the quality of those lambs.”

And “you can’t market a lamb that doesn’t survive beyond birth”, Craig adds, which is why lambing ease

Performance rams pay dividends for producers

and lamb survival play a vital role in the Gemini breeding program.

“The amount of time consumed by people who have to assist ewes and the loss of ewes - eliminating that out of your breeding program commercially adds to your bottom line,” he said.

The Gemini stud has a strong focus on structure and Craig said he was “very particular” about ensuring structural correctness across the flock.

Topping the sale was Gemini 200361, which sold to Hedingham White Suffolks, WA. The ram had a TCP rating in the top 1% of the breed at 163.44 and was sired by one of Gemini’s home bred rams.

Craig said Gemini-bred sires also featured heavily in this year’s sale draft.

Gemini Prime Lamb Sires will host its 24th annual spring on-property sale on Wednesday 19 October, with viewing from 10.30am and the

MULLINGER PARK

Mullinger Park’s 2022 sale will boast more than 300 high production Poll Dorsets, White Suffolk and Suffolk rams with 10 speciality rams on offer.

Poll Dorsets are the flagship breed at Mullinger Park – they have been breeding them for more than 50 years while more recently adding White Suffolk and Suffolks to their three stud operation.

Brett, Amanda and William Shepherd, of Kybybolite, are one of the largest sellers of British breed rams in the South East of South Australia.

The 2022 sale will be on Thursday, October 6 at 1pm at the Naracorote Showground Pavillion.

“We are very excited to be offering first sons of Range View 19-98, which we bought at the first COVID year Adelaide Elite Ram Sale,” Brett said.

“He comes to us from over the water from the Apple Isle but don’t hold that against him as he comes with huge credentials in confirmation and figures which have got better after his progeny have been measured.”

SALE

With a weaning weight EBV 13.85 PWT 20 with a huge 3.8 for muscle and all with a positive plus 0.3 for fat, 5.0 LMY and round it all out with a whopping 163 TCP, the figures say it all.

With many of his traits in the top 5 per cent for Australia for the breed he is turning heads in the breed.

Also in the White Suffolk there will be rams by two Anden sons 1962 and 1981.

The latter was used in the AI program with Sunnybank 18-32.

Anden 83 was bought by a Western Australian stud and we were lucky to secure a semen package and at the time he was in the top 10 per cent for eating quality.

“And that is one of the main reasons we use him to infuse thar bloodline into our flock,” Brett said.

Both rams boast EBV weaning above 12 and post-weaning of around 20 for growth and near 3 for muscle and close to zero for fat and over 150 or TCP.

“There will also be sons by ever reliable Rene 126 and Wheetelande 8552,” Brett said.

“The growth in our White Suffolk flock keeps impressing us immensely and is a must to come and see at the sale.”

This year’s Poll Dorsets are by the $26,000 Aberdeen ram and also the usual stud faithful stud sires Leenala 150 and Mullinger Park 17-336 and 348, which are ever reliable to produce quality rams.

There are also genetics by the famous New South Wales stud Kurralea and Victorian stud Brurob and these sires have also been used in the AI program and there will be sons by a ram purchased from another iconic Tasmanian stud Valma, 19-144 for $16,000.

“He is a medium frame ram with great fleshing and muscle carcase attribute,” Brett said. “He has really put his stamp here at Mullinger Park, visually and on paper, which is why he was bought as he had those attributes which have only improved.”

He has an unbelievable birth weight EBV 0.03, WWT 10.7, PWT 16.1, fat 0.2 and a whopping 4.3 for muscle and lean meat yield 5.4 with the last two figures in the top five per cent of the breed in Australia.

For the Suffolks, Mullinger Park will have sons by thier new Kerangie sire 19-2484 that was purchased for $11,000 - the top price ram at that sale.

“He is a very powerful, correct Suffolk ram,’ Brett said. “He has gone to numerous studs across the country which shows the quality of the ram and there will also be some by the Hamilton champion Sayla 18-122 and ever reliable Allendale 1971.”

Brett said Mullinger Park have a flock of 1250 stud ewes and out of that we should be able to find 330 classy rams to put in the sale.

“We scour the nation for the best genetics we can get to put into our stud to suit the needs of our enterprise and our clients’ needs, whether it is to grow trade lambs or to take lambs to the expert weights,” Brett said.

“We are still investing heavily in the AI programs as we see this as a huge tool to progress where we want to get to.

“Our goal is to breed good length, muscled and well-structured sheep that can perform in all aspects of anyone’s commercial enterprise.”

Brett said Mullinger Park had also focussed on LambPlan figures and they have improved every year.

The Mullinger Park team can’t wait to see you at their October 6 sale, their 19th annual sale, at the Naracoorte Showground Pavilion.

ABOVE: If you want lambs like this head to Mullinger Park’s sale

A“kind season” has boosted depth for Janmac Poll Dorset and White Suffolk Stud as it prepares for its annual auction.

The 18th annual auction on Wednesday October 5 at Goroke will feature 210 rams, comprising about 50 White Suffolks and the balance Poll Dorsets.

The sale will be highlighted by 15 select stud rams to satisfy increasing top-end demand, and Janmac coprincipal Grant Hausler says the overall depth has never been better.

Grant, who farms with his brother Bryce, said 2021 had been a tough year but an early break and excellent lambing results in 2022 have buoyed the local market.

“Last year was as tough as our area had seen in living memory,” Grant said. “We had a very tight autumn. It ended up being a good spring but everyone reported it was a difficult year for sheep, though we have had a good run for several years so couldn’t complain too much.”

This year fortunes have reversed

and the results are being seen in the paddock. “Our region is back on track which gives us confidence when it comes to selling rams,” Grant said.

“Clients are reporting very good birth percentages and survivability. There are a lot of lambs around and doing well so we’re going into the season with confidence.”

“When you have good scanning percentages and good weather at lambing time you end up with a good result. Our depth has always been strong but it’s particularly good this year. We’re very upbeat about the way it looks.”

While quality will be consistent throughout the catalogue, Grant predicts strong interest in selections from the studs’ own sires and beyond.

“We have a nice selection of Rangeview 007 progeny,” he said.

“He has some good sons that will be popular.”

Rangeview 007-19, from Tasmania, was bought online at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo in 2020 and also has a nice group of early maturing lambs. “It’s his first offering

and it’s a nice group,” Grant said.

“The Rangeview was bought for his muscling, loin and structure. It will add to our core group of select sires without changing too much from what we’re known for. It’s a constant juggle of adding without losing what you’ve got, but we’ve been trying to thicken the sheep and add a bit more muscle.

A White Suffolk ram sold by Kurralea Stud in 2020 for a stud record $20,000, Kurralea 009-19, will feature prominently.

“He’s very good and left a good group of White Suffolk lambs,” Grant said. “This will be the first offering of 009-19 progeny and they are worth a look.”

Janmac has a core group of rams bought from mainstays Kurralea in NSW’s Riverina and Ulandi Park in South Australia.

“We’ve invested heavily with great success in those studs over the years for our core group of rams, but we also add other types to that mix,” Grant said.

“Our aim going forward is to continue to improve the sheep and build on what we’ve got.”

Last year’s sale saw two rams sell for $7500 to ram breeding flocks.

“It’s rewarding to see some of those top-end rams ending up in breeding operations,” Grant said. “The reports are very good and they have good lambs on the ground.

“We already have a good reputation for commercial sheep, but we’re beginning to get more recognition for those top-end rams as well.”

Janmac is based on about 1400 hectares at Goroke, in the West Wimmera region of Victoria, and the good season has seen good crops and home-grown feed.

Grant is confident the solid season and industry confidence, coupled with the lack of pandemic lockdowns that stymied sales the past two years, will see strong demand on October 5.

“We’re really looking forward to the coming ram selling season.”

Janmac will video a select group of rams to be released closer to the auction.

Further updates will be available on Janmac’s updated website at www. janmac.com.au/.

The auction will be onsite at Goroke and online through Auctions Plus.

Wattle Glen Corriedales, founded in 1969, and run by Graham and Di Jenke at Strathalbyn, are focussed on breeding Corriedales that are commercially viable with emphasis on both wool and meat. Graham, being a woolclasser for 50 years, has concentrated on lowering the micron of the flock so that there is a return for the wool, whilst still maintaining the attributes of the Corriedale breed: a sheep that has good doing ability

and producing both meat and wool. Stud ewes have averaged 25.7 micron over the last eight years, with the lambs’ wool averaging 22.5 micron.

The stud’s objectives were substantiated in the Meat Eating Quality Genomics Trial conducted by the Australian Corriedale Association in Tasmania from 2017 to 2020. Out of 37 rams in the trial, progeny sired by two Wattle Glen rams, when measured, were in the top 30% for weaning

weight and post weaning weight, while also in the top 30% for fleece weight, while still producing two of the top four for fineness in their wool when micron tested. Semen is available for sale from both these rams, Wattle Glen 15004 and Wattle Glen 160094.

It is with pleasure that Wattle Glen joins with Corriedale Hills to offer 50 selected rams in the inaugural SA Corriedale Feature Sale on Auctions Plus on October 4th 2022 at

11am (SA Time). Inspection of Wattle Glen rams prior to the sale can be organised

by contacting Graham or Di Jenke on 0429 936 598 of 0428 696 031.

CORRIEDALE HILLS

At Corriedale Hills, the Lush family run a flock of over 1500

commercial Corriedales, as well as their Stud Corriedales and Poll Dorsets. We have put the focus of selection on growing sheep that produce well and can look after themselves. To that end, our sheep need to get in lamb quickly and look after their lambs. They need to have clean wool of good value and be resistant to flystrike. They need to mother their lambs well, and the lambs need to produce.

Corriedale Hills is a member of the Performance Corriedale Group, which uses the analysis tools of Lambplan to identify and use more productive genetics. The group uses the Maternal Wool Production plus (MWP+) index to identify sheep with higher fertility and growth, and an emphasis on carcase quality and wool production. The group also nominates sires to be a part of the MLA Resource Flock, as well as conducting its own trials. Through these trials, we have found that some of our lines perform exceptionally well for Eating Quality (as measured by Intramuscular Fat and Shear Force).

Since it was established in 1926, Corriedale Hills has continually sourced sires from around Australia and New Zealand. By using bloodlines that have performed well elsewhere, we test them alongside our own breeding and see if they improve our sheep, and any improvements we pass on to our commercial flock and those of our clients.

Together with Wattle Glen’s 25 Corriedale rams, Corriedale Hills will offer 25 Corriedale rams, which will be followed by 45 Poll Dorset Rams.

– STUD MASTER’S PASSION CONTINUES

Glencoe’s Majardah stud master, Dale Price notches up 50 years of breeding seed stock.

The stud was established in 1972 in partnership with his brother Ross and continued until the early 80’s when Dale and his wife Ruth took on the full ownership of the stud, changing the name to ‘Majardah Poll Dorsets’. Dale’s son Adam then introduced White Suffolk’s in the early 2000’s.

In the early years sheep were shown at all the local shows throughout the South East of South Australia and across Western Victoria. Showing sheep is subjective to one’s opinion. That is why with the introduction of objective measurement by Sheep Genetics Australia and specifically LambPlan Dale saw a great opportunity to benchmark his sheep against others throughout Australia. The added benefit of this was reduced

biosecurity risks with the sheep not having to leave the property.

Today Dale is ably assisted by Adam and his family in running the studs. Keen to ensure quality performance rams are available to clients, the family are active participants in Meat Elite Australia’s Young Sire Progeny testing program. Two Majardah rams are in this year’s team of 10 rams. The stud is also participating in the Meat Elite Australia ‘MEAT Taste 22’ project. Commercial merino ewes were artificially inseminated with semen from Meat Elite Australia flocks and the progeny will be followed through and measured for Meat

Eating Quality utilizing the DEXA imagery or probe technology. The stud also has rams being used in the Information Nucleus flocks providing excellent linkage for greater accuracy of data.

Majardah Poll Dorset and White Suffolk Stud will offer 200 rams at their annual on property sale on the 10th October commencing at 1pm at 1861 Kangaroo Flat Road Glencoe. Further details available from Dale 0428 394 300, Adam 0428 230 100, Peter Creek MW&J 0428 838 332 and Ben Gregory Elders 0418 498 587.

Leading genetics to feature in Woolumbool sale

Buyers at Woolumbool’s 35th Annual Spring Sale can expect to get hold of a range of leading sheep genetics in Australia.

The auction on Wednesday October 5 near Lucindale, South Australia will feature nearly 300 rams, including 12 Elites and 270 flock rams, and will look to build on a record-breaking 2021 result.

The sale will include four Elite Poll Dorsets, 8 Elite White Suffolks, 90 Poll Dorset flock rams, 90 White Suffolk flock rams, 60 Muti-Meat Composite Maternal Homozygous flock rams with double copy of the booroola gene, and 20 Multi-Meat Composite Maternal Heterozygous flock rams with single copy of the booroola gene.

The catalogue will include several notable sires with progeny, including Poll Dorset Felix 190968 and White

Suffolk Trigger Vale 191124.

“There have been a few changes in sheep genetics in recent years, but their LEQ (Lamb Eating Quality) numbers have still held up,” Woolumbool stud principal Aaron Clothier said.

“They’ve got good growth, good fat coverage, good eating quality and they will be very popular.”

He is confident buyers will have good options throughout the catalogue at the October 5 sale.

“With the terminals, potential buyers can expect to get hold of some of the leading genetics in Australia, with fast growth, good fat, high muscle, increased worm resistance, good meat-eating quality rams all backed up by their gold quality ASBVs,” Aaron said.

In the maternals, multi-meat buyers can expect the same as the

terminals with added finer micron wool, increased fecundity, and lower adult weights.

Multi-meat composites were included for the first time and sold well, and Mr Clothier will look at expanding this option in future years.

All rams at Woolumbool are fully paddock reared with no supplementary feeding and will be 13-15 months of age at auction.

The annual auction is now one of the most respected and well-established sales in the country, and local commercial Poll Dorset client Patrick Ross can talk to his success over that long period of time.

“I don’t think I’ve missed buying a ram at the Woolumbool sale for nearly four decades,” Patrick said.

“I’ve been there virtually from the start and will be bidding again this year.”

“To be able to go to a sale and know you’re buying in the top 10 per cent of the breed, gives you an enormous amount of confidence in the quality of the data.

Patrick sees the success of his purchases in the paddock. “When I apply their genetics to my ewe flock, I get an incredibly good result with my prime lambs,” he said.

“Because I’m strictly a commercial operator, I’m commercially focussed. From the Woolumbool sires, all my lambs in the past five years have had average growth rates in excess of 400 grams per day from birth to the day they are sold at 22 kilograms.

The Clothier family look forward to welcoming all buyers to their on-property auction in the Yacca Downs Woolshed, The on-site sale will be interfaced with Auctions Plus. Updates about the sale will be posted at www.woolumbool.com.au

PICTURED: A group of Woolumbool Elite Rams

DETPA GROVE

Well balanced, impeccably bred sheep. That’s the focus at Detpa Grove White Suffolk where preparations are well underway for the stud’s 34th annual spring on-property sale on Thursday 13 October.

One highlight of the upcoming sale with 250 Lots on offer, include a ram who epitomises early growth. Weaning at 76kg (3 ½ months), the ram will feature in the Jeparit based stud auction and is expected to garner attention from the prime lamb industry for his data.

“We have used this ram with success in our program and it’s great to be able to offer a ram of this calibre in the sale while retaining a semen interest,” principal David Pipkorn said.

Detpa Grove’s spring offering in October will begin with 70 maiden ewes, 1.5 years of age and ready for breeding.

A line of young ewes are sold at each spring sale with the stud keen to offer those producers looking to top up quality and gain access to new genetics, the opportunity to buy from the studs finest female lines.

Breeding balance at Detpa Grove

“They are a structurally correct group of ewes with balanced ASBVs (Australian Sheep Breeding Values) and from the wide range of bloodlines we have at our disposal,” Mr Pipkorn said.

Along with 30 stud rams, 30 specially selected flock rams will also be up for auction.

“Stud breeders have been known to select rams out of the specially selected ram draft if they are after specific traits or something a bit different to complement what they have,” Mr Pipkorn said.

The main sale run will feature 130 flock rams with all rams being May to August 2021drop.

Two home bred sires feature in the genetics of this year’s offering, being Detpa Grove Noble 180374, who Mr Pipkorn says has another great run of progeny, and Detpa Grove Regal 200477.

“We will be offering the first progeny from REGAL this year - all his daughters have been retained but we will be offering select sons,” Mr Pipkorn said.

When it comes to outside genetics, Ella Matta 190004 will be one sire which bidders will see featured in the catalogue.

“We purchased Lot 1 (Ella Matta 190004) a couple of years ago and have been impressed with the growth and structure of that sheep, plus he’s throwing some black hooves which some breeders are chasing,” Mr Pipkorn said.

“There will also be progeny of Felix 191175; a semen package we purchased particularly for his eating quality to balance some Australian Sheep Breeding Values, as well as for its very good type and structure.

“There will be sons of Somerset 190158, a ram used widely in the industry, whereas we have produced some very interesting progeny from him. Particularly our leading index”.

“One son has great type, scale and bone, as well as balanced ASBVs - we were in a fortunate position to be able to target mate him to balance his ASBVs.”

A good start to the season has meant the sheep have grown out “exceptionally” well again this year, Mr Pipkorn added.

“The ewes have had no grain since birth, the rams had a couple of months of grain to get them through to the break, but they will

be presented off grass - the stud rams are prepared as usual,” he said.

“Buyers can attend with confidence knowing sheep will be presented to the highest standard.”

This year’s sale will be held on Thursday October 13 at Detpa Grove, Jeparit, and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.

Inspections will be open from 10am, with ewes auctioned at 11.30am and rams to follow at 1pm.

For the latest news & sale updates, please visit www. detpagrove.com or detpa grove Facebook & Instagram Page.

ABOVE: Select Rams from the Stud group selling on Thursday 13 October.

INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Over the past three to four years there has been a significant increase in yard cover projects and new shearing shed builds.

In 2021, for example, the team at Action Steel built more than 100 shearing sheds and yard covers, primarily in western Victoria and south-east South Australia. 2022 is shaping up to be no different, with the trend continuing.

There are several factors contributing to this trend including a strong industry and consumer focus on animal comfort and welfare.

The many benefits of covered yards and improved shearing facilities are also a key contributor. These include

Providing safe and up-to date working conditions also helps to retain existing staff and attract new talent. This is an important consideration given current labour shortages and low unemployment.

If you are looking to take advantage of these benefits, talk to the team at Action Steel about your shearing shed or yard cover project.

Action Steel specialise in building heavy-duty farm sheds for livestock and cropping enterprises across South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Visit actionsteel.com.au to learn more.

LEFT: A 31m x 27m x 4.2m sheep yard cover built by Action Steel at Marcollat, SA.

Investing in infrastructure such as covered yards and new shearing sheds improves safety and productivity.

THE AUSTRALIAN WHITE SUFFOLK

The Australian White Suffolk Association is continuing its mission to shine a light on livestock health and eradicate ovine brucellosis from sheep flocks.

Three years ago, the Association was the first breed society to mandate ovine brucellosis accreditation under the national ovine brucellosis-free accreditation scheme, with other breed societies soon following suit.

Their focus now is ensuring producers are buying from registered White Suffolk studs and to pay attention to health declarations for extra peace of mind.

Ovine brucellosis is a venereal disease in sheep which has a costly impact on the sheep industry with lambing rates impacted by infertility or reduced ram fertility, longer lambing periods, miscarriages in ewes and weak lambs.

The cost to eradicate the disease in an affected flock is significant.

Once ovine brucellosis takes hold it can wipe out an entire ram unit and result in years of rebuild.

Association President, Andrew

Heinrich, says the stance to mandate accreditation has been well supported, particularly as biosecurity continues to be an important focus in the industry.

“As a breed society we have a duty to make sure we are encouraging breeders and producers to pay attention to flock health.”

“If we can give them confidence that they are purchasing sheep from an accredited free flock, it goes a long way in helping the situation in the industry,” he said.

But despite the accredited-free requirement for all registered White Suffolks studs, they are encouraging sheep producers to do their own research to ensure the safety of their flocks.

“There are producers out there selling White Suffolks that buyers might think are registered studs, but they are not.”

“We cannot mandate accreditation in these flocks, so instead we want to create awareness for purchasers to pay attention to the health status of any stock before they buy,”

Mr Heinrich said.

This can be as simple as checking the list of registered White Suffolk studs on the Association’s website or reviewing flock health information on the National Sheep Health Declaration.

Spence Dix and Co livestock agent, Luke Schreiber, says the National Sheep Health Declaration is the number one source of health information for buyers to consider.

“I strongly recommend that producers take notice of the information on the declaration and source their rams from accreditedfree studs.”

“With ram values climbing and producers prepared to invest more in their programs, it’s important that rams are free from disease,” Mr Schreiber said.

“The stock and financial losses that can result from introducing disease is not worth the risk.”

The voluntary ovine brucellosis accreditation scheme is administered by each state’s Department of Agriculture, with the aim to protect flocks from the disease and promote flocks that are accredited free.

The procedure involves an independent audit of a flock, testing of rams and inspection by a third party to ensure there are suitable on-farm biosecurity practices in place.

A list of registered White Suffolk studs can be found on the Association’s website.

ABOVE: The Australian White Suffolk Association is reminding producers to take notice of the health status of stock they are purchased this ram buying season.

YARRAM PARK PERFORMANCE RAMS

Yarram Park will offer 320 well grown Maternal and Southie Terminal rams for sale at Hamilton Showgrounds on Tuesday the 11th of October this year. This will be our 10th annual sale, having sold under a private system for many years previously.

excellent constitution and doing ability. High fertility of both ewes and rams is of paramount importance, and we select heavily in regard to these traits.

All sheep are fully lamb plan recorded, with all data represented in the sale catalogue that will be available a few weeks prior to our sale.

individual’s doing ability and fertility, and what you see is what you will truly get.

All sale rams are run and managed from weaning to sale day in large contemporary groups of over 250 head, to challenge constitution, structure, and performance.

under realistic and extensive conditions.

Running the stud under our intensive commercial conditions without any supplementation gives us an accurate reflection of each

Sire lines are not only progeny tested annually throughout our own large commercial flock but are also fertility tested in big commercial joining groups

The stud is run under strictly commercial conditions with no supplementary feeding or shedding. We aim to produce very sound well-structured rams with M: 0417 519

The formation of the 1,900 strong breeding flock originated after Mt. Elephant was approached to carry some of the very first embryo work to come to Australia from New Zealand. This formed the basis of the stud, to which a number of breeds have been infused successfully to establish the current Perendale and Southdown composite flock.

When Mt. Elephant Station

was sold in 2010, the stud ewes were relocated to Yarram Park. Following the increasing demand in 2014 for Southie Terminal rams, we purchased the high-performance Point Vale Southdown stud in 2015. This enabled us to fast track our terminal breeding expansion, with an additional 350 breeding ewes coming into our program. We are now confident we sit in a very strong position to supply larger lines of highperformance Southdown composites to the marketplace as terminal sires.

We had a rewarding sale season in 2021, marketing nearly 400 rams to existing and new clients in Victoria, South Australia, NSW, and Tasmania. We thank all those who supported our program so enthusiastically and look forward to continuing a close association with you all. Feedback from several clients highlighted the excellent fertility in both our Maternal and Terminal ram program, with several flocks scanning above 180% to ewes joined.

The 2022 sale rams have come through an average spring and a very tough start to winter however are developing and growing out well. With a large genetic pool to draw from our big stud ewe base, we are able to carefully select and manage a sale team that is a very even line of sound, fertile and well grown rams ready to work.

We will offer another large run of young sires for your consideration on Tuesday 11th October 2022, at the Hamilton Showgrounds. Inspection is from 9.30 a.m. with the Sale at 11.30 a.m. EST.

If you require any further information, or if we can be of any assistance in discussing and selecting your ram requirements, please contact the team at Yarram Park or your preferred agent.

We also offer a classing and advisory service to any clients looking for assistance with their breeding program, and also provide free transport to property, for rams purchased at the annual production sale.

Sheep farmer Tom Bull from Holbrook, NSW knows a bit about handling high muscle sheep. Tom’s business, LAMBPRO is a prime lamb seedstock operation focusing on the production of maternal and terminal seedstock. Tom aims to increase kilograms per hectare and dollars per kilogram and multiply using artificial insemination, embryo transfer and natural mating.

As a result of this strategy Tom has very strong, high muscle sheep and that’s why he invested in a Racewell Sheep Handler 20 years ago to make handling them easier.

“We’ve had a Racewell Sheep Handler for nearly 20 years now. We’ve got some of the older models and have upgraded over time. As we’ve selected sheep for muscle, they’ve got a lot stronger, particularly in some of our terminal breeds so they’re harder to handle. If you put our ewes in a race now and try to drench them, they get their head to the bottom and they’re very hard to get up. The Racewells have done a pretty good job at being able to contain them (the sheep) and making it a pretty simple job.

We’ve had very little issues with the Racewells, we can get them serviced, we have someone come here once or twice a year to service them or as needed and that’s a big thing for us to be able to maintain them. We

have very little down time; they seem to work pretty well and that’s over 4 machines that handle a lot of sheep on a weekly basis. We crutch in it, the give vaccines in it and do a lot of our recording, so they’re often going through there.” Said Tom.

With a Racewell Sheep Handler you can automatically or manually catch sheep and hold them securely while you do whatever needs to be done.

The latest Racewell Sheep Handlers have 4 different operating modes to control the gates and clamp and are designed to maximise throughput for different jobs. They also come with a remote control so that you can move away from the handler to help get the next mob in the race or go and get supplies while still having control of the machine with the push of a button.

Having a good quality sheep handler has helped make Tom’s job easier and also helped him to retain staff over the years. The ease of using the Racewell Handler means that the labour Tom has doesn’t need to be very high skilled or very strong to handle his big, high muscle sheep. Pretty much anyone can do the job because the Racewell catches and holds the sheep and takes all the hard physical work out of it.

“One of the biggest things with sheep is if people really dread a job they’re likely to put it off, and drenching high

muscled sheep in a drenching race, yes you can do it but if you’ve got to do 10s of thousands it becomes a pretty hard job so the sheep handler makes it a lot easier and is allowing us to be able to change the labour that we use.” Said Tom.

Racewell Sheep Handlers are made in New Zealand by Te Pari Products. Racewell Sheep Handlers are a topof-the-line product and truly built to last as you can see from Tom’s 20-year-old machine that is still in use today. Te Pari’s Australian operation is based in Epping, Victoria where they stock a range of machines and parts. They have a great team of experienced staff that go all over the

country to sell, deliver, commission and service Racewell equipment and also the range of Te Pari Cattle Handling Equipment.

“I think having a good sheep handler is becoming more and more important for a modern sheep business. I think just having technology that works and works every day is really important and certainly Te Pari have done a pretty good job of doing that for us.” Said Tom.

If you want to learn more about Racewell Sheep Handlers or watch them in action on video, then go to www.tepari.com or give them a call on 1800-650-682.

The Corriedale was breed 150 years ago as a DUALPURPOSE maternal breed, a self-replacing 1st cross ewe, and at Gambier View we have kept breeding our sheep as Dual-Purpose. The emphasis on a self-replacing flock is so important in this day and age with the price of replacement ewes, as well as reducing the chances of introducing health issues (i.e., Foot and mouth). The resistance to worm burdens is due to the strong constitution of a Corriedale [less maintenance]. Gambier View Corriedales breed true to their type. This means their offspring are more consistent in quality than sheep bred from sires with many different breeds in their genetics.

The Corriedale has come out at the top with the MLA eating Quality trials.

Lambing percentages and quick growth rates are a main focus at Gambier View Corriedales. Gambier View have high lambing percentages; however, it is in the commercial flocks that are sired by Gambier View rams where it counts. High lambing

Percentages are not just reliant on high conception rates, which the Corriedale achieves. Survivability, is key as well, achieved by the Corriedales amazing mothering ability, great temperament, and the Corriedale lambs’ instinct to want to live. Gambier View can provide plenty of Testimonial’s to support high lambing percentages and quick growth rates, when Gambier View rams are mated with, Merino, Coopworth, Composite, 1st Cross, Dohne or Samm ewes.

The structure and the constitution of the Gambier View sheep, is also a main priority. One being big black feet which enables tolerance to wet conditions. They have plenty of meat[muscle], which is also a reason the Gambier View Corriedales have longevity and the ability to produce lambs till they are 7 or 8 years of age. They grow quickly and the ewe portion are able to produce lambs as a 1-year-old, the whether portion can be sold very profitably as a terminal lamb.

Gambier View’s average micron is around 27.5 with wool cuts

around 7 Kg. The stronger end of the wool market isn’t as profitable as it was 2 to 3 years ago, however Corriedale breeders are still making money from their wool cuts.

Gambier View have been collecting data on their sheep, for many years. We use stock scan, to measure the whole muscle area, width and depth, as well as fat. Gambier View have been tagging at birth to record pedigrees and birth weights, which means we can record multiple births and

growth rates, as well as recording fleece weights and microns. All this information is made available.

Gambier View is Bruccellosis Acc. [3287] Johne’s Acc. MN3V [VS 1143]

For any Testimonials, please contact Milton Savage on 0418 534 037

BELOW: A Clients Corriedale X Merino Ewes. Joined back to a Merino with 140% lambs. The ewes cut over 7Kg of fleece, with the strongest being 24 Micron.

“Gambier View” Corriedales; the Self Replacing First Cross Ewe.

Yarramie Poll Dorset flock rams are renowned for performance and conformation. Rams are high yielding with exceptional loin, clean head/points and hindquarter muscling to meet the demands of a range of different market and consumer demands.

Ram performance values measured were key commercial traits relevant to the Poll Dorset’s role as a sire – growth, muscle and fat measured on live animals, yield and commercial value. This equates to pre-sale weight, percentage of fat, percentage of muscle depth, average weight gain and commercial value.

For the 2021 lambing, Yarramie Poll Dorset ewes & ewe lambs were mated with a cohort of 14 sires from 4 studs - Braun, Newbold, Lyndoch Park and Konongwootong. Measured on-farm performance through weight recording, along with carcass analysis the Westgarth’s selected stud sires for eye muscle depth, moderate fat content, multiple births and structurally sound traits including confirmation and type.

“Different stud sires selected are performing really well in different traits - birth ease, growth, muscle shape, conformation, wool type,

carcass yield - each sire has some attribute that puts his progeny in good quality genetics and value for money,” Graham Westgarth explained.

Yarramie use a balanced framed, easy care and highly fertile maternal ewe, with excellent carcass attributes and great milking ability. They generally achieve a lambing percentage of 140 per cent in autumn.

Lambs are structurally sound with high growth rate, generous body length, exceptional muscling, large hindquarters and clean head/points.

“Each year we aim to meet the needs of our clients by producing an even selection of rams showcasing a solid foundation to attain high lambing percentages, prime lamb production and premium lamb sales.

Eating quality is also crucial – taking into consideration the eating quality is based upon the intramuscular fat composition of the sheep,” Graham stated.

Sale rams are brucellosis accredited free, OJD status free (vaccinated), 5 in 1 vaccinated, lice free and foot rot free.

On-farm measurements and carcass data are provided to buyers, which they can use to support breeding decisions within their own operations.

After 7 years with the CHAROLLAIS sheep involved in KD Sheep studs there’s a growing clientele that return for more of the rams that are proving to be exceptional for easy lambing over maiden ewes.

In fact not only are lamb producers raving about the easy lambing they are excited about the fast growth and muscling of the lambs that are produced.

The use of KD rams has extended to use by clients over older ewes as well as maidens. Producers are also happy that the lambs are not growing a long wool staple therefore reducing the need to shear lamb’s before they are finished.

KD Sheep studs will have 70 rams available on September 12th on farm at Bordertown. Ewes are also available for private sale

The AUSTRALIAN WHITE , KD WHITES and REDS are a major part of our shedding sheep operation.

For 22 years KD has bred shedding sheep. High lamb survival due to the hairy birth coats are the key to profitability along with open season breeding of the ewe base.

“It just gets easier with every generation not having to deal with shearing and avoiding the disappointment of poor XB wool prices”

KD Sheepstuds will have about 70 rams and ewes available on Wednesday October 12th on farm by auction and Auctions +. Check out our new website at www.kdsheepstuds.com.au and call Kym Staude (breeder) on 0412 070 971 or Steve Doecke Elders 0427817323 for any enquiries. You can win a $1000 voucher toward ram purchases to be drawn on the 9th of September 2022, enter via our website or direct to Kym.

MAXIMISING PRODUCTION IN YOUR GROWING EWES

At Paradoo Prime and with the help of Thrive Agri Services we have made a big effort to work on maximising the production of all our growing ewes. Our performance from commercial ewe lambs and their subsequent years production as a (2nd lamber) or a rising 2 YO has been great. For the past 3 years we have been consistently scanning at an average of 180% in second lambers and these have weaned an average of 161% over 20202022. When this is combined with weaning 120% average in pregnant ewe lambs as first lambers, then all of a sudden, some very attractive and impressive production numbers begin to take shape. The other key imperative is keeping your 2nd lambing dry rate to a very low figure. This is key. For e.g. If you are weaning 2.8 plus lambs average per ewe in the first 2 years and your dry rate in the second lambers is below 1% then all of a sudden your production system is very hard to beat. (2.8 lms x $140 = $392 before your ewe is 27 months of age). The production output from proactive management in nutrition and managing ewe condition makes it very rewarding and exciting. This is all completely achievable and comes from accurate and transparent data from commercially run ewes.

When considering mating ewe

lambs, it is not only just the management to get them in lamb that is important. The subsequent management once ewe lambs have accomplished their first lambing is most vital to ensure they are set up for their second lambing.

Mating your ewe lambs can have many benefits for your overall flock. Joining your ewe lambs can be challenging but by using the correct methods and staying consistent, this can be achieved. The weight that ewe lambs achieve at joining is the single largest factor dictating the success of joining ewe lambs.

In order to achieve a successful outcome for ewe lambs, they must reach approximately 70-75% of the adult weight or mature size at the first joining. This is not only an important

factor in achieving high conception and reproductive rates at the first joining but important for setting the ewe up for the subsequent pregnancy and lambing.

Other important factors include:

• Joining age

• Teaser use

• Growth rate over joining Ewe lambs are generally joined between the ages of 7 to 10 months old and are immature animals that are actively growing and increasing in size and body weight. In fact, ewes will not reach full maturity until 24-30 months of age and if successful will be lambing for the second occasion by the time they are 24 months of age.

Managing your ewe lambs up until they are 1.5 years of age can be challenging and requires a lot of labour and inputs, however the benefits are worth it. A common mistake made is not replacing the adequate condition back onto the growing ewes and neglecting them.

Due to ewe lambs and second lambers making up 40-50% of your flock, you need to ensure they are achieving their optimal genetic reproductive potential and that you are striving to achieve high scanning rates. Failing to maintain the condition of your second lambers can sacrifice the number of lambs generated causing a loss in production. As we mentioned, this age group can make up half (40-50%) of your flock, therefore by failing to recover their condition this can have huge economic impacts. This age group is considered to have low conception rate and the highest percentage of dries when compared to mature aged ewes hence why management skills and more inputs are needed.

For further information please contact Tim Leeming PH 0427 797 242 or Andrew Kennedy PH 0408 512 240

Last year Castle Camps again saw a total clearance of rams from both breeds. With this in mind the stud will increase the number of rams offered. This year will see 75 White Suffolk and 90 Border Leicester rams at our annual sale on Friday the 30th of September. The sale will again be on Auctions Plus. This will give the opportunity to those who can’t attend on the day to participate in the sale as well.

This year’s offering of White Suffolk’s will see rams from our list of proven sires including Glengarry 18/8030 who is in the top 5% for Pwt, also Days 18/82 who is the top 20% for both lean meat yield and Pwt and was the sire of the top price White Suffolk ram at last year’s sale. This year will also see the first progeny from three young Castle Camps sires. The first two, 19/24 & 19/29 are both sons of Woolumbool 17/3980 and are in the top 5% for Inter muscular fat and Shear Force. The third is 19/10, a son of Mertex 17/593 and is a ram with great width and depth through the back end and is in the top 20% for Pwt.

The Border Leicester offering will again see rams from sires that have breed very well for us in recent years.

Including Castle Camps Arora 17/318 who is in the top 5% for weaning rate. Castle Camps Barney 17/357 in top 5% for Wec and sire of the top priced

ram at last year’s sale. Gleneith 17/86 in the top 5% for Mwwt and top 20% for Emd. Adding to this line up will be three new rams Castle Camps Wilson 4th 18/534, Paxton 19/398 and Jackson 19/167 all highly ranked for Post Weaning Weight. Rounding off our sires are the two AI rams Inverbrackie Colt 19/281in the top 5% on the BLX index and Coolawang Valiant 17/329 champion ram at Adelaide Royal 2018.

Again many of the Border Leicester rams offered will have negative WEC’s (worm egg counts) a trait that is considered very important at Castle Camps with most of the sires represented in the catalogue having a negative Wec. This includes Castle Camps Barney 17/357 who is the ranked second for the breed in Wec at -63.88.

Over the years wool quality has also been important. This is reflected in our own First Cross ewes with last year’s hoggets testing at 23.8 micron and 73% yield.

At Castle Camps our stud operation is very much run with a commercial focus in mind with importance placed on sheep with natural doing ability. Our stud ewes are run under commercial conditions and our young rams are run through the summer and autumn with only minimal supplementary feeding. This

in the first draft averaging 23.8kg. Other clients who have carried their wether lambs through the summer on either fodder crops or in a feed lot have averaged over 28kg. All say that the lambs matured early and had exceptional carcass qualities. With James Pitchford saying that they have been using Castle Camps Border rams for the last three years

of September starting at 11am, with inspections from 9.30am. Ian and Sue invite you to come and inspect the rams either on sale day or before the sale. You can also follow us on face book or go to our website www. castlecamps.com.au for our online catalogue which will be available from early September or just give Ian a call on 0438 566 030 to arrange a suitable time for an inspection.

Just Shear’s Carlie Smith grew up on a sheep station in western New South Wales near Ivanhoe and had to travel 250km just for groceries, so she is very aware of the challenges facing those in regional and rural Australia.

Starting a sign business in Mildura, after seven years she moved across to the Yorke Peninsula to her husband’s cropping farm while continuing to run the Mildura shop, before closing and operating solely from a workshop on the farm.

The design experience Carlie had has helped when they saw a niche in the agricultural market for bright, fun shearing clothes with printing designs for men, ladies and children and that is how Just Shear was born.

Just Shear is shipping worldwide now and has a growing list of retail stores stocking the popular jumpers and singlets. The team at Just

Shear offer screen printing, digital printing, sublimation and embroidery, all from the workshop, allowing for fast turnaround times.

Carlie said the Just Shear team can help you right from the start.

“We can help you from initial logo design to giving your business a complete professional image, while at work and play,” Carlie said. “Our goal is to make your business stand out to everyone else so you can capture the eye of potential customers. Your advertising is the face of your business and first impressions last.”

Items can be ordered online or give the Just Shear team a call on 0488 177 083 to order over the phone. Items can be purchased in bulk or as a package deal. With no minimum order, you don’t need to have your cash sitting in a merchandise cupboard.

From shearing singlets, hoodies, hi-vis, footy shorts with pockets, tees, hats & stubby holders contact Just Shear on 0488 177 083 or carlie@ justshear.com

In South West Victoria at Winchelsea the Hill family run a fat lamb enterprise on their 300-hectare farm “Allambie”. Penny Hill farms with her children; Cameron, Lochie and Alysha. As part of the family operation there’s a big focus on renovating pastures and cropping to maximise stocking rates and ensure they were in the best position to finish fat lambs for the best price.

In April they purchased a new AS480 (4.8m) Taege Airseeder and the machine has proved to be a “perfect fit” for their farm business. One of the reasons they decided on the Taege was because it suited their fat lamb enterprise. A draw card being the narrow spacing, under 121mm, resulting in better ground cover and more feed for the sheep.

Since April they have sown more than 800 hectares with the Taege. This includes work at their own farm, and also contracting to a few nearby farmers. Being strong and easy to use with high-end precision Mr Hill said the Taege had certainly been impressing people.

“The reviews from the guys I have spoken to is that they’re happy with the germination and the accuracy of the machine. I have sown

Phalaris at 12 to 14 kilograms down to 3 to 3.5 kilograms. I have been sowing ryegrass at 25 kilograms, which is pretty well spot on. We’re pulling it on a 140horse power tractor, and it’s doing it pretty easy. It is really compact and easy to use.”

Mr Hill said the size of the machine being 4.8m was a major deciding factor as previously they had a 3.5m conventional drill. “We are probably getting an extra 10 or 12 hectares a day compared to the 3.5m drill. The boxes are a little bit bigger too so the machine is not stopped for as long.”

When it comes to machinery purchases the Hill family deal with Swayn & McCabe Claas Harvest Centre, at Colac because of the excellent service. “We have a good relationship with Claas Harvest Centre and Scott O’Hanlon. All the machinery we’ve bought over the years has come out of Swayn & McCabe and Claas. They have a good back-up service. They have got a very good parts team in Colac. If you want a part, it’s either there or you’ve got it within a couple of days if it’s a hard part to get. We have never had any trouble with them,” Mr Hill said.

anagement and nutrition of the ewe will always have the greatest influence over lamb survival. However, there are huge benefits to be gained from having stronger lambs at birth, with a greater cold tolerance, and plenty of quality milk available.

A focus on birth weight, gestation length and increased milk production, has helped to improve lambing ease, increase lamb survival and reduce ewe assist rate at lambing. This has resulted in lamb survival rates of over 90% which is well above the industry average of around 70%. This has huge economic implications. We are very excited about the results, in particular when incorporating selection pressure on the gestation length as part of our overall lamb survival strategy.

We are finding our best results are coming in our commercial maternal ewe flock when ewes are having 4.5 -5.5 kg lambs at birth. This has meant we can utilise rams with higher birth weights (0.4 to 0.5) for mature ewes, particularly with higher scanning rates. This has also

enabled us to maintain our selection pressure on higher growth rate rams, that have shorter gestation length ASBV’s (approx -1.0). Lambs that are born earlier are not necessarily lighter, but are born with a lot more ease. They generally appear wetter at birth, and the ewes appear to lamb quickly and with vastly fewer presentation issues. The actual gestation length of the ewes recorded over the past 15 years has varied from 140 days to 153 days. We would say that approximately 95% of lambing problems occur in those ewes lambing before 143 days and after 150 days, resulting in a dramatic reduction in lamb survival. As a result of selection, we have moved our average gestation length from 148.5 days back to 147 days in Poll Dorset ewes, and 146 days in our maternal composites over the past 3 years, without significant changes in lamb birth weights. Our aim is to select for lambs to be born between 144 and 148 days. Emphasis on good smooth shoulder and neck placement is also important.

As a direct result of the information gathered from

Gestation length (gl): Birth weight (bwt) progeny testing in our commercial and stud flocks, we have seen a reduction in our birth assist rate to approx. 1% in mature ewes. This has resulted in lamb survival rates of 92 – 94% at birth, over all birth type categories. The flock pregnancy scanned at 180% average over all year drops.

We are confident that conducting economically relevant sire progeny tests, utilising our commercial ewe flock that we will continue to improve the profitability of our commercial clients. With continued focus on Growth, Eating Quality, lamb survival, early maturity and disease resistance. We will have some of the highest ranked Poll Dorset & Maternal rams for eating quality, growth and gestation length available for sale in 2022.

With this genetic emphasis being applied in both out Maternal and Terminal flocks we believe that Derrynock rams can provide a rare opportunity for producers to make quick improvements in traits like lamb survival, with selection pressure provided on both sides of the Genetic equation…….

Paxton Stud at Western Flat had another wonderful ram selling season in 2021.

A full clearance of rams and record prices was an indication of the faith being placed in Paxton genetics and the overall state of the lamb industry.

The stud will again put forward a terrific line-up of rams that will suit a variety of industries’ needs

On the 28th of September the Paxton Poll Dorset and White Suffolk on property sale will be conducted at 4pm. The stud will offer 100 quality rams of each breed.

Stud principle Martin Harvey said “I’m very pleased with this years’ team of rams, they show excellent growth and muscling. It has been a

challenging season and very little supplementary feeding has been done. We really do like to let the rams grow out on pasture and not push them too hard. I believe this can affect the longevity of rams”.

There is a mixture of sires being represented with Days Whiteface, Waratah, Allendale and Janmac all prominent. The Stud continues to receive fantastic local support with the majority of rams being sold remaining in the South East.

The stud is excited about the 2022 lambs currently on the ground with the recent purchase of Morton Poll Dorset and Days 2021 purchased for $18000?.

The Paxton Border Leicester Stud continues to set new benchmarks with last year’s sale going

exceptionally well. Many of the states best first cross producers show great of support of the Paxton genetics. The Stud was particularly pleased to sell a number of stud rams last year.

Martin said “we sold 5 stud rams for very reasonable money, its really great to see our rams going into other studs. We don’t push stud rams and will not be showing this year, life has just got too hectic. The rams will speak for themselves and the good operators will find them”.

The Stud has a large selection of Borders available and may put a few more into the sale. This will allow every buyer a chance to purchase rams in their price range. The sale will also be run in conjunction with Auctions Plus for the first time.

The Paxton Stud added an exciting new sire from Inverbrackie Stud with the highest muscle index in the breed. Also a Jackson and Glencorrie sire has also joined the battery.

The Paxton Border Leicester sale will be conducted on October 13th at 4pm.

All the usual health checks are done with all rams MN2 and vaccinated and Brucellosis free accredited. There is Lambplan data available on all rams.

The Harvey family enjoy supplying dinner and refreshments at the conclusion of both twilight sales.

All enquiries welcome anytime, contact Martin Harvey 0407 582 079 or see a catalogues on website paxtonstud.com.au or Facebook

Enquiries to Martin Harvey 0407 582 079 www.paxtonstud.com.au ‘Paxton Stud’ on Refreshments provided at conclusion of sale

Increases operation efficiencies by investing in a Spanlift Sheep Yard Cover

Kelvale Poll Merino Stud is a progressive stud located in Keith, South Australia. It’s a family-owned business that solely runs merino sheep and produces irrigated Lucerne Seed.

The stud places high importance on commercial traits of their sheep, including fleece quality, growth rates, fertility and meat yield – to mention a few.

Over the years they’ve increased their staple length, leading to them now shearing stud and commercial ewes every six months.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Stephen Kellock, Owner of Kelvale, built a shearing shed next to their sheep yard many years ago. With the capacity to hold 500 sheep, he was still in the market for some expansion.

“Because we shear twice a year, we were looking for more cover all the time, so we didn’t need to sacrifice on working conditions,” Stephen reflects.

“We’re growing longer stapled sheep through having plainer type sheep and higher fertility. We’ve gotten to the stage that now we have to shear every six months

because we’re getting 75 mils of length in that time.”

Stephen looked at yard covers online and reviewed several different companies. When he stumbled upon Spanlift’s website, what caught his eye?

The yard cover’s dome-shaped roofs.

THE SOLUTION

“I really liked the idea of this shape, and so I got in touch with Charles Grace to discuss their functionality.

“What I really liked was the heatreduction benefit of the roof –meaning we can still be outdoors working hard in the heat because we’ve got shade and ample airflow.”

Spanlift design our yard covers to suit the client’s animal movements. They can be built over existing pens and yards with minimal disruption and offer natural lighting where it’s needed most.

Stephen purchased a 39.5m x 24m x 3.5m sheep yard cover installed in December 2017.

Spanlift designed it site-specific with custom bay spacing to suit yard layout and enable specific

locations in the areas that wouldn’t affect yard flow.

Since then, he says the cover has helped with extra protection for the sheep and workers and increased operational efficiencies.

THE OUTCOME

“Nowadays, we have a lot of contract work happening with pregnancy and muscle scanning, and we want to be able to do that any time of the year so we can continue tracking the data,” says Stephen.

“These contractors are booked for specific dates, so you have to do the work no matter what – whether it’s pouring down with rain or scorching hot.

Kelvale crutch their sheep with a crutching trailer, which they use a contractor for. On one sweltering 48-degree summer day, Stephen couldn’t believe everyone was able to continue working despite the heat.

“We were still able to crutch sheep throughout the whole day because we had that yard cover. It sets the shade, and the airflow beneath allows us to keep working. The crutching fellow was absolutely amazed!”

What was Stephen’s experience with the Spanlift team?

“The entire team was excellent – they always kept

me up to speed on what was going on and what they needed,” he reflects.

Before Spanlift started building, powerlines were going into the middle of the property. Spanlift worked with SA Power to get these removed, meaning Stephen could make his shed longer than the original size.

“They weren’t required anymore, so we actually got the polls out, and the wires pulled down so that we could put the shed where we wanted to put it.

“We expanded our ideas, and Spanlift gave us a different look at what we could do, which was absolutely fantastic.”

What does Stephen think of the quality of a Spanlift yard cover?

“The quality of the shed is super sturdy – fantastic really for what we’re trying to do. And the design process where we could get all the posts outside of the yard so they’re not interfering in our work area was