Bendigo show to put Charollais sheep up against the most popular breeds

There will be a French connection to the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show when a breed makes its imminent debut. Find out why the breeder is so excited.

Scott Mitchell, Rene stud, Culcairn, with his Charollais sheep. Picture: Supplied

A French flavour will be added to the mix at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show later this month when the Charollais breed makes its Australian showing debut.

Culcairn sheep stud Rene will truck a team of 14 sheep to the event, after beginning breeding the French breed in 2011.

Stud co-principal Scott Mitchell said Rene was now selling 130 Charollais rams annually from 250 purebred ewes, alongside its Poll Dorset and White Suffolk sheep, and the family was “very excited” to be able to show the new breed for the first time.

“We are seeing more and more interest in the Charollais sheep and a lot of clients are having success with them over Merinos, or first-cross maidens, they are easy care, easy lambing sheep and out of Merinos, people often target 22-24kg lambs,” he said.

Mr Mitchell said there was now about eight breeders in Australia and a breed society had been formed in late 2019. The original plan was to introduce the sheep to the national audience in Bendigo last year, but Covid but a pause on those plans.

“Bendigo is a great shop window for us and we hope people come along to see them and I hope they stand up well in the interbreed against the other breeds.”

Rene’s will also host their on-farm sale on September 17.

In France, there are 225,000 Charollais ewes with flocks concentrated in Bourgogne, the Massif Central, Poitou-Charentes, the Limousin and the southwest, but the breed spread beyond its native region thanks to its maternal and meat production qualities.

It is promoted for its rapid growth rate, without being overly fat, and high yielding.

Charollais are now found in more than 20 countries and accounts for about half of all French ovine genetic exports.