All the action from one of the world’s biggest sheep shows
A prime lamb sire that will deliver fast growth and keep commercial costs down, was rewarded with broad ribbons at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. See our wrap up.
A Poll Dorset sire that is a “great example of the breed’s ability to provide the early growth the industry needs to keep costs low” took out the prestigious Interbreed Short Wool Supreme Exhibit at Bendigo today.
The ram from Dane Rowley’s Springwaters Poll Dorset stud at Boorowa, NSW was awarded the ribbon at the conclusion of the competitions at Australian Sheep & Wool Show.
The NSW stud has been going since 1979 and sells up to 400 rams annually, and this was the first time the stud has taken out the interbreed title.
Mr Rowley said while showing ribbons ”don’t mean quite what they used to”, exposure at a high profile show was a “good way to get a ram out to be seen by other studs”.
Mr Rowley said he believed shows now were more of a way to connect with other studs, not so much the commercial breeder.
The winning ram today displayed “sheer volume” and ability to produce meat, fast, weighing in at 157kg at 14 months of age, he said.
Mr Rowley said the breed continued to earn its place in the industry as a leading breed thanks to the emphasis breeders had on carcass traits and early maturing sheep.
While many lamb producers had a tough time last year, with lambs selling for low prices of around $90, now comparable lambs were making $260, he said.
“Right now there is hope things are turning around,” he said.
“I don’t know why things got as bad as they did then, and while we might be having a spike now, I do not think prices will come off like they did last year, and think there is a lot of optimism in the industry now – we are selling so much meat (internationally).”
Mr Rowley said many clients had re-evaluated their enterprises in recent years and a growing trend was Poll Dorsets being mated directly to Merinos, instead of to first or second crosses.
“One of the biggest drivers of the Poll Dorset’s success is the rapid growth rate and ability for people to sell lambs directly off their mums, which lowers cost of production, which is very important with rising costs.”
In other major awards, Werneth’s Mitchell family saw their two-year-old Gemini Ultra White ewe win the Supreme Cleanskin Exhibit just a couple of years after moving into the new breed.
Chloe Mitchell showed the ewe on behalf of the family, which was the first time the family had returned to showing after the tragic accident that claimed the life of her mother, Rosalie, seven years prior.
Victorian stud tops sale
In the multivendor Merino ram sale today an all purpose poll ram made the most money, selling to $25,000. The ram was from the Victorian stud, Terrick West Poll Merinos, and was bought by NSW’s Overland Merinos, Bogan Gate.
Across the sale, a total of 81 rams sold under the hammer from 102 put up for sale, to average a solid $4640.
Meanwhile, another Victorian Merino identity Phil Toland, Violet Town – who was instrumental in bringing some objective measurement into major sheep shows, also known as All Purpose classes – was awarded an honorary life member of the Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders at Bendigo.
Mr Toland said the recognition caught him by surprise. “It took me a minute,” he said, to process what had happened. He said the addition of objective measurements had added to the overall improvement in Merino breeding and the ability of sheep producers to produce both meat and wool products from their animals.
SATURDAY
Top South Aussie stud takes Merino honours
The nation’s biggest seller of Merino rams took out the top honours in Bendigo’s annual Australian Sheep and Wool show Merino judging today.
The mammoth three day event has drawn the best in the industry – including 1800 sheep entries across Merino and meat breed classes – for a chance to collect a broad ribbon and the prestige the awards carry.
For the famed South Australian stud Collinsville, the Supreme Merino Exhibit award topped off their most successful outing in the three years they have been showing at Bendigo.
Hallett-based stud manager Tim Dalla said the win against “sheep from every state in Australia”, was a big deal for Collinsville.
“This has been our most consistent, successful showing here,” Mr Dalla said.
The stud, which sells around 2000 rams annually, took out a swag of broad ribbons, including the group of five, with their team of 11 competing sheep.
But sheep enthusiasts like Mr Dalla have also, particularly this year, travelled to Bendigo for the social side of the gathering.
In a year when the sector has been challenged by the looming ban on live sheep exports from Western Australia, low wool prices, a depressed lamb market last season and some of the worst seasonal conditions ever experienced in some regions, the chance to share their trials and tribulations with fellow breeders was a welcome relief.
At Hallett, the season was still as bad as anyone remembers, Mr Dalla said. “We have had three inches of rain (75mm) for the year,” he said.
“There is just no feed, it is really hard on our staff too, so this trip and win means a lot.
“We have had our best ever show here in our worst ever season.”
The top ram was two years old, with 20 micron wool which would cut 18-20kg next year, he said.
A son of Prudent 365, the young sire would be retained in the stud.
Mr Dalla said he was an “extremely commercially profitable ram and example of what we are producing at Collinsville”.
The ram won over a ewe presented by another SA stud, Mulloorie, Brinkworth.
Mulloorie principal Peter Meyer’s 18.4 micron wool ewe was only narrowly beaten by the big Collinsville sire with the supreme exhibit judges long mulling over their decision.
One of the judges, Wayne Button, Manunda Merinos at Tammin, Western Australia, said the sire took the top place due to his outstanding wool quality and structure.
Mr Button said the event was a great chance for the industry to get together, especially for the WA breeders who travelled to the event.
That state’s farm sector faced headwinds with the impending ban on live sheep exports by sea, which had hit confidence there.
“It is not only the live sheep issue though,” he said. “It is governments trying to tell us how to do everything on our lands and in our businesses.”
First time gong for fleece winner
Paul Pittman from Glenburnie Merino and Poll Merino stud, Walcha, NSW said he “nearly dropped the phone” when he found out his second ever entry in the world’s largest measured wool competition had taken the top prize.
“I was truly shocked, it was a big moment,” the fifth generation wool grower said.
“My dad (Wilson Pittman) was so proud”.
The fleece took out the Grand Champion award in the 23rd Australian Fleece Competition from 385 entries from 131 exhibitors.
Convener, Nutrien’s Candice Cordy said this was a lift in entries on last year’s 340 fleeces, and a reflection of the interest that continued to be alive and well in the wool industry.
The Pittmans’ 19 micron fleece scored 96.2 points out of a possible 100.
“It is just our second year showing wool here,” Mr Pittman said.
“The result has blown us away, and we also won Grand Champion Ultra Fine ram.
“The win is certainly good promotion for our stud and hopefully will grow interest in what we are doing.”
The Glenburnie stud sells around 35 rams annually, averaging 16.8 micron across the flock.
With a drop in wool supplies expected nationally, Mr Pittman said he hoped the wool market would soon lift from its low prices.
Rising costs, especially the fixed ones, made it harder for sheep producers and was seeing some farmers choose to switch to other enterprises.
“We have seen tough times before but what is different about this one is how much all those costs have increased,” he said.
“So hopefully we see prices improve soon.
“It is great to get to an event like this and speak to like-minded people who are experiencing a bit of what you are at their place too.”
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