BUOYED by high saleyard prices and keen demand for export and domestic lambs the sheep industry is looking bright.
High values for replacement ewes continues to be a trend and the wool industry is recording good prices with plenty of interest for the fleece from countries such as China.
The Rural's Spring Ram Guide 2014 features the best bloodlines and genetics from throughout Australia.
The guide allows commercial breeders and studs alike to assess their options and learn about money-making traits that will lead to market acceptance and profitability.
VALLEY VISTA POLL DORSETS
IF you are looking for Poll Dorset rams which will produce lambs for the domestic and export markets then you should look no further than the Valley Vista stud.
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The Valley Vista Poll Dorset stud was founded in 1976 and moved from its original home at Burrumbuttock, to Coolac in 1990.
The stud was expanded in 1991 when Valley Vista stud principals Andrew and Donna Scott purchased the entire Meadow Creek stud from the late Ernie Britt.
The Scotts have continued to add to their genetic base over the years with purchases of genetics from the Armdale, Armdale Park,Kismet,Tattykeel, Hillden and Kurralea studs.
There was further expansion for the stud in November 2006 when the Scotts purchased 550 ewes and stud sires from the Gererdan stud, which was among the top studs in Australia.
The stud has built the numbers up to approximately 1000 stud ewes. This provides good numbers to select from, allowing the stud to cull heavily.
When selecting rams for the stud’s breeding program the Scott’s have placed emphasis on traits such as ease of lambing and high growth rates.
They also place emphasis on producing a well-muscled and structurally correct sheep.
One of the main selection criteria’s is selecting for high growth rate. All lambs are weighed at weaning and then two more times at thirty day intervals.
These weights are converted to grams/day. Lower than 300 to 350 grams/day are culled. The lambs doing better than 300 to 350 grams/day (depending on the season) are retained in the stud. The stud also scans all rams, using Stockscan, for muscle area and individual data on each animal.
This information is sent to SIL (a New Zealand based recording outfit) along with the weight information. This data is processed and comes back with a ranking for ram and ewe lambs. A ranking is also received on the stud ewes which enables for a culling of any ewes that are not producing quality lambs. The Scotts produce stud and flock rams that will produce quick maturing, well muscled lambs for the domestic market as well as lambs that will go on to the export market.
The Scotts started showing at major shows in 2000 and in that year exhibited the reserve champion ewe at the NSW Cowra Dorset Fair. This year has been their most successful year in the showing ring. Winning champion ram and champion ewe and supreme exhibits at the Gundagai Show as well as Canberra Royal. They followed this with a terrific outing at the recent Bendigo ASWBA show, bringing home a ribbon for reserve champion ram, champion ewe and ultimately taking out supreme exhibit. This was done with an ewe, that has had an outstanding show career, winning six blue ribbons and taking out two supreme exhibits.
The stud will also offer three stud sires at the Australasian Dorset Championships at Bendigo on Monday September, 13. The Valley Vista Park stud will be offering one ram.
Valley Vista will be holding an on-property sale on Friday October, 3, 2014 with inspections from 10am and the sale will start at 1.30pm. There will be 150 rams for sale.
STRATHVIEW COOPWORTHS
Selecting top sires is the key to boosting farm profits. Farmers will be kept up to date with the latest genetic gains in maternal and terminal sires at an information day and farm walk on September, 5 from noon at Tim Lubkes' property, "Strathview", Henty.
A group of speakers from South Australia and Victoria, including Don Pegler and Tim Johnson, will inform producers on how to select top sires and the necessary traits to boost farm profits.
The day will teach lamb producers how to make more from their enterprises and will include a farm walk on Tim's property, as well as Matt Klemke's commercial property.
Rob Martin from Kentish Downs Poll Dorset Stud at Holbrook will also be speaking on terminal performance traits.
Representatives from the local Ag n Vet will be there to discuss animal health.
Strathview Coopworth stud principal and host Tim Lubke said, the day would be a golden opportunity for prime lamb producers to learn from some of the most informed people in the business.
Coopworth Genetics Australia will also be holding the annual general meeting in Henty in the evening.
Mr Lubke said within the top 10 per cent of maternal sires on lamb plan, which are indexed at 128 and above, 50 of them are Coopworths and Coopworth composites and seven are other breeds, mainly Border Leicesters.
"Lamb plan is telling the world that the cream of the maternal sires in Australia feature Coopworth genetics," he said.
There will be full viewing of this year's Strathview Coopworth and Composite sale rams on the day, with a ram sale to be held October 10.
For more information please contact Tim Lubke on 0427 693 056.
GAERLOCH WHITE SUFFOLKS
Gaerloch White Suffolk Stud was founded in 1989 by Pat, Lynette and Annette Schofield.
The stud is located at "Long Plain", Kywong-Paintings Bridge Road, Narrandera.
Joining results for natural matings were a bit mixed but resulted in good lambing percentages.
Despite undertaking an AI program during the heatwave in January, great joining and lambing results were achieved.
Mr Schofield said he was pleased with all the lambs.
He said they show good size, width and butts and were growing well.
"Gaerloch sires along with three outside sires were used," he said.
All ewes were heavily classed before joining. Dry conditions meant the commercial mob was reduced to 100 ewes. Stud ewes are now down to 200, with 60 young maiden ewes to bring into the stud this year.
A good number of the older ewes will need to be moved aside again.
These ewes, along with surplus maidens, will be sold as commercial ewes for prime lamb production. Last year lambs from the commercial mob were sold at 14 weeks. Please contact us for further information on these ewes.
We have had a number of lambs and hoggets killed for our own use this year. The butcher has been impressed with the meat quality and we have appreciated the taste and tenderness.
Our clients are using white suffolks over both merino and first cross ewes with excellent results.
The lambs are born small with a good growth rate. Ease of lambing is still one of the main comments we hear from clients. We can supply rams suitable for trade or export markets.
Clients who are using White Suffolk/Merino first cross ewes are producing very good lambs.
Clients have reported some good lambing results this year. First lambs are almost ready for market so awaiting feedback.
Sale rams looked good as lambs and are looking even better now.
We think they are amongst the best we have bred so far. Rams are available privately now.
The Stud has brucellosis accreditation, OJD MN3V status and participates in Lambplan.
We will exhibit at the Henty Machinery Field Days again in the Australian White Suffolk stand near the Eastern Entrance so drop by and say hello in September.
Contact Pat Schofield on Phone/Fax (02) 6959 8225 or mobile 0427 598225 or Annette on (02) 6453 3355 Mob 0427 645333.
TRIGGER VALE POLLS AND WHITE SUFFOLKS
With the rationalisation of the extension services in NSW and the loss of many sheep and wool officers working with the department Trigger Vale made a decision to hold a bi-annual information and open days for local sheep producers.
Stud principal Andrew Bouffler, Lockhart said there had never been a more exciting and innovative period in the history of the Australian sheep industry.
"With genomic based breeding values for hard-to-measure traits now coming on line, the accuracy of traditional breeding values is at the highest levels since inception," he said.
"And there is a huge body of validated research being turned into practical on farm programs. The tools available for both stud and commercial sheep producers to make huge genetic and productivity gains are within reach," Mr Bouffler said.
On August 22 Trigger Vale is holding an information and open day on farm at Lockhart with the theme “Wean More Lambs”.
"Trigger Vale strives to be more than a leading supplier of Poll and White Suffolk genetics and is passionate about innovation and the early adaption of tools that will drive on farm productivity and the range of speakers and topics on the day aim to target this objective," Mr Bouffler said.
The day start with a presentation from the manager of Sheep Genetics, Hamish Chandler who will cover what attributes are required in a modern Merino and how Australian Breeding Values are vital to achieve them.
To mix the program up Isobel Knight from Tamworth is speaking about the important subject of succession planning and transitioning the family farm.
The highlight of the day is leading industry researcher and extension expert Jason Tromph.
Jason will cover developing farming systems to manage variability – climate and commodity prices.
Jason develops the concept behind building a better maternal merino through increasing growth, maternal fat and muscle and the flow on effects in having a more robust business models.
Actual lamb post mortems will be conducted at the event with commentary not only about why they died but what could have been done to prevent it.
The latest in worm management to combat drench resistance will also be discussed.
A selection of Trigger Vale Polls and White Suffolks will be on show along with a representative from Proway.
There is a small cost of of $10 for the forum, which covers lunch and refreshments with the proceeds going to the Urangeline Hall.
RSVP is essential for catering by the 16th August please contact Mandi Bouffler on (02) 6920-7656.
On September 5, 2014 Trigger Vale Polls and White Suffolk will conduct the 37th on-property auction.
Felix Poll Dorset and White Suffolk
Felix Rams has a singular focus on breeding high performance structurally sound meat sheep rams.
To remain profitable prime lambs producers need to be increasing the performance of their enterprise and using good genetics is one of the key tools at their disposal.
Felix Rams principal Rodney Watt said the ram breeding enterprise is committed to accurately measuring performance for a range of traits in the paddock to make genuine genetic improvement.
Sheep Genetics Lambplan ASBVs are used to select for moderate birthweight and ease of lambing, high growth rate and muscle through to post weaning and for rams with lower worm egg counts.
No selection decision is made without the backing of performance information.
For the past three years Felix Rams has also invested heavily in DNA testing potential young sires for yield and eating quality - every sire we use has breeding values for these traits.
As a result of the testing, many of the elite dams have breeding values for yield and eating quality as well.
With other livestock industries having seen the effect of performance selection on eating quality, Rodney sees emphasis on these traits as non-negotiable for an industry producing a premium high value product.
In the same way that successful producers demand disease free rams from their supplier, he expects the use of rams with good eating quality attributes to become a basic requirement of producers and processors.
Felix Rams will offer 135 Poll Dorset and 40 White Suffolk rams at the annual on-property sale at Greenethorpe on September 2. Agents are Allan Gray and Co Cowra (02) 6342 2377, with catalogues available at www.felixrams.com.au or from the agents from about August 22.
KINGSVALE SUPREME
The Manchester family have been breeding stud and commercial stock for 50 years and during that time the focus has been on performance.
We decided in 1993 to start a new breed from a Corriedale base. Since 1998 we have been using pure Poll Dorset genetics over these ewes, and we are now nearly 100 per cent pure Poll Dorset.
We learnt through the 1990's about cutting yields in Corriedales by measuring.
Now these Kingsvale Supreme Rams are out-performing any other breed in dressing, and also in cutting yield trials.
At "Roseville" it has always been about measuring and performance.
We have clients that don't have any problem lambing from small merino hogget ewes (17-micron), with higher lambing percentages. One client, from 500 Merino ewes, more than 52 per cent dressing, instead of the normal 47 per cent.
Kingsvale Supreme rams are achieving high lambing percentages, high cutting yields and outstanding carcase qualities, with tasting awards to boot!
Our rams consistently rate in the top 5 per cent of all maternal/terminal ASBV's.
Our aim is to concentrate on breeding a consistent, well balanced type of Ram, where emphasis is on the end result of lambs producing more meat and more money per hectare.
Contact Tony Manchester, "Roseville" (02) 6384 4231or 0428 844 231.