Bond breed is proving best for Glen Iris

Glen Iris will be holding its annual Bond ram sale at the Glen Iris woolshed on Thursday, October 6.

Elders will conduct the Helmsman auction, commencing at 11.30am, followed by a light luncheon.

Rams will be penned for inspection from 9.30am.

Prior to the ram sale there will be 220, 2011 drop ewes sold. These are sound mouthed, early September-shorn, gudair vaccinated, classed breeders.

Bonds are tall, long bodied sheep, heavy in the bone and with open faces and a robust constitution. They produce bulky, long stapled, bright 20-25 micron wool. 

Bonds provide excellent opportunities for high economic returns from heavy fleece weights, premium wool quality, high fertility, and fast lamb growth rates enabling the marketing of lambs as suckers, heavy trades, or taken to export weights at a young age.

Glen Iris is always looking for the best dual-purpose genetics to introduce into the stud and commercial flock.

In recent years it has used AI sires from Triggervale with success. TV11-839 was used for the 2014 drop.

This year’s sale draft will include a number of rams by TV11-511. Progeny by these sires have sold for up to $11,000 and have been used throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Through years of selection and muscle scanning since 1998, Glen Iris has established excellent body shape and fat cover in its sheep. This has lifted fertility in its ewes, improved lamb survival and increased the maturity rate of our lambs.

A homebred sire that is breeding well is GI12-018. His Lambplan measurements as a three-year-old were 126kg shorn bodyweight; 9.5mm fat depth; 44mm eye muscle depth  – similar to terminal sires.

The recent trend involving many Merino producers shifting towards a meatier carcass has meant that the purchasing of Bond rams has made good economic sense. Wool cut and quality can be maintained, with slightly higher micron wool that sells well.

The extra benefit then comes from the improved frame and carcass quality that is injected into the self-replacing flock, improving marking rates and making it easier to finish wether lambs.

Glen Iris congratulates clients Peter and Cecily Lindley for their champion fleece at the Gundagai Show that went on to be awarded “Champion Fleece of the Show”, and Peter Daley for his fleece, entered in the districts exhibit, that went on to win first prize at the Sydney Royal Show.

Glen Iris looks forward to welcoming new and existing clients on October 6. A full sale catalogue will be available soon at www.glenirisbondstud.com.au.

Related