Well-fed, maternal flocks contribute to southern Qld sheep farms productivity and profitability

The challenge to reach under 10 per cent in lamb losses at auction has been at the forefront of the mind of one Goondiwindi sheep grazier, who attributes this recent success to the increased fat and muscle of his flock. Here’s how he did it.

For Goondiwindi sheep graziers Karbullah Poll Merinos, the battle to reach under 10 per cent flock loss at auction has been an unrelenting challenge.

However, it was a feat Karbullah Poll Merinos co-principal Mark Murphy achieved in 2021, recording an incredible low of losses down to 7.3 per cent from 153 per cent of lambs marked.

“It has been a goal of mine to achieve under 10 per cent lamb loss and it’s not easy to do. In the last two years we have blown it out of the water getting down to 7.3 per cent from 153 per cent lambs marked in 2021,” he said.

In the past two years Karbullah has managed to keep under the 10 per cent loss at auction, last year recording a loss of 9.5 per cent with 133 per cent of lambs marked.

Mark Murphy of Karbullah Poll Merinos with some rams.

“Simply it comes down to fat and muscle – that’s where energy comes from. The Merino industry has been hung up on the overflow from the prime lamb industry where fat was a dirty word, but fat is important for animal welfare, lamb survival and doability,” he said.

Having endured many wet summers in previous years, building up worm resilience was among the many priorities that sit at the forefront for the stud.

Karbullah’s sale team sits in the top 30 per cent in Australia for the worm resistance trait.

“We stopped drenching our stud ewes in 1992 and began drenching the individual, not the mob,” Mr Murphy said.

“This year the young ewes had one short active drench in January and their health status is fantastic.”

National lamb marking rate date recorded by Meat & Livestock Australia shows lamb loss amount to 30 per cent for both singles and twins in the national Merino and non-Merino flock.

“When we started using Australian Sheep Breeding Values in 2003, we quickly worked out doability, fat and muscle went together,” he said.

“When muscle is lifted to create a natural balance, one of the huge benefits is lamb survival. The message is coming from producers, and it is a gauge of metabolic efficiency of your flock.”

Karbullah Poll Merinos focus on fertility, lamb survivability, worm resilience and outstanding wool quality.

The control of nefarious wild dogs and other predators that loom large on the property still remains high on the agenda in the reduction of lamb loss, along with breeding ewes with a strong maternal instinct.

“The energy levels of a newborn lamb must be high to allow them to get up and go from the birth site within six hours with the ewe,” Mr Murphy said.

“Scan the ewes and run the multiple bearing ewes in the smallest mobs you can manage to boost lamb survival.”

The ewe rearing ability (ERA) has become a focus for the grazing family, holding the belief the trait will ultimately have a significant impact for both theirs and their clients' flocks.

“Our ERA sale average for this year is in the top 10 per cent in the country (0.07 compared to the breed average of 0.03) and is validation of the years of hard work on improving fertility,” he said.

“Fertility, lamb survivability, worm resilience and outstanding wool quality are four areas we are most passionate about and have the potential to change the profitability and sustainability of the Merino.”

Another triumph for the sheep stud was increasing its Australian sheep breeding value (ASBV) yearling weight sale average from 6.6 to 8.2kg, with post weaning weight rising from 4.2 to 5.9kg.

Mark and his wife Vicki, along with their family manage 700 merino stud ewes on their 31.44ha Goondiwindi property, averaging 19-micron fleece weights for adult ewes of 6kg.

Vicki and Mark Murphy own Karbullah Poll Merinos near Goondiwindi.