MAJARDAH RAMS GIVE PRODUCERS THE EDGE
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y selecting Majardah Poll Dorset and White Suffolk Stud sires with moderate birth weights checking commercial ewes during lambing is minimized reducing the chances of mis-mothering. The Price family also lamb up to four months later than in the past, confident that lamb growth rates far exceed what they use to be. The advantage is matching feed supply to the nutritional needs of the ewes much better than in the past. Adam Price said, “we know some of our clients have been doing it very hard with drought conditions. The only saving grace has been the strong prices for sheep and lambs over the past twelve months due to the reduced national flock. It gives us optimism for the foreseeable future in the prime lamb sector.� This year Sheep Genetics Australia has introduced a new Index. It is akin to the old Carcase Plus Index with weightings also given to meat eating quality. Both C+ and Lamb 2020 have been phased out.
OW’S R R O M O T Y! A D O T S RAM
The Terminal Carcase Production index will help protect the excellent eating quality of lamb. What it doesn’t do is reward moderate birth weights and worm resistance. “It is why we still advise ram buyers to look at the individual Australian Sheep Breeding Values for these traits when selecting rams. Amazingly a lamb that dies during the birthing process doesn’t have a lot of weight gain! The TCP index is a good sorting tool, but the more astute producers will refer to a ram’s ASBVs when selecting a ram(s) to meet their production goals,� explained Dale. “We have had a lot of positive feedback about how well Majardah rams are performing and the progeny they are producing. We also have continued to benchmark of rams against others on LambPlan with great results. By shortening our genetic interval, selecting stud sires carefully to achieve our breeding goals we continue to be ahead of the pack. For the past two years we have used Matesel (the sheep tinder) to assist in our breeding program.
This will allow us to address even more ASBVs alongside good conformation, explained Adam. Majardah is involved in a world first group breeding program. Dale is coordinating with SGA staff a Matesel run
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involving 10,000+ ewes and 2000 rams from Meat Elite flocks to members achieve group breeding objectives. This is an exciting initiative that is designed to boost improvements in the traditional ASBVs and maintain meat eating quality. While there will
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be a number of logistical challenges the rewards as in industries such as the poultry and pork are significant and will flow onto Majardah and other Meat Elite clients. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on property ram sale will be held October 4th commencing at 1:00pm with inspection from 11:00am. A light luncheon will be available. Elders and Miller Whan & John will conduct the sale. Catalogues will be available mid- September. The catalogue will be available from the agents, be included on the Sheep Genetics website with reminders on the Majardah Ramsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Facebook page.
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ABOVE: Majardah Rams bred to survive and thrive
CONTACT: DALE & RUTH PRICE 0428 394 300 ADAM PRICE 0428 230 100
BEN GREGORY 0418 498 587
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PETER CREEK 0428 838 332