Loddon Ram Sales August 2023 - Loddon Herald Special Feature

Genetics take value from stud to paddock

TERRICK West Poll Merinos is constantly developing sheep genetics that consistently transfer breed value from the stud to the paddock.

Says studmaster Ross McGauchie: “Our priority is high-volume, high-quality and soft-handling 18 to19 micron wool on large fertile dual-purpose animals – delivering consistent returns in all soil, feed and climate conditions.”

“Our Prairie West stud takes a measured approach to stud breeding, using experience and data to sustainably introduce profitable traits without upsetting the genetic balance of the flock.”

And the award-winning stud is continuing to improve data collection of sale rams.

“We will once again be including

Inspection: From 10AM on day of sale

Auction: 1PM

Offering: 84 rams

2403 EchucaSerpentine Road, Prairie

ASBVs on all sale rams. Full genomics testing of these animals, including poll tests will be available.”

Ross said Terrick West’s large-framed and plain-bodied sires were also critical for many of the stud’s clients joining ewes to Border Leicesters and other terminal sires.

“Terrick West’s consistently bulky and deep-crimping wool ensures ongoing wool clip value in addition

to profitable meat production,” he said. “Our sires consistently produce high volumes of soft handling, deep-crimping wool in the 17 to 19 micron range with high comfort factors – on frames weighing over 100kg still with their lambs teeth.”

Terrick West Stud was founded by Edgar McGauchie and his sons Cyril and Eric in 1932. Today Eric’s son, Ross together with his wife Robyn and daughter Claire manage Terrick

West Poll Merinos. Claire is the fourth generation of McGauchies to help set the vision and direction of Terrick West Poll Merinos.

“We take a balanced approach to innovations that sustainably improve our stud, our flock, our industry and our home,” Ross said.

Terrick West Poll Merino Stud is part of the acclaimed Loddon Valley Merino region which Ross says

stands tall against studs from across Australia.

This was borne out when Terrick West was awarded Australian Champion and Reserve Champion March-shorn Pairs at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show - the first time a stud had ever claimed first and second for consecutive years - as the stud has been again recognised with major titles at major sheep shows.

The Loddon ram sale season kicks off at Terrick West Poll Merino Stud on August 11.

John breeds quick-maturing sheep with high fat, muscle

THE Humbert family is celebrating 150 years in the Prairie and Calivil area since first taking up a landselection.

It’s where fourth-generation John Humbert is breeding robust, quick maturing, large framed, fertile sheep with high genetic fat and muscle which produce high yielding carcasses at his Kedleston Park Merino and Poll Merino Stud.

“The wool grown is a soft, white, deep, crimping, long, stapled, lustrous, medium wool suited to any environment,” says John.

“For the past three years we have been shearing every six months with wool cuts averaging 4.8kg per shearing of 18.5-20.4 micron with a yield of 71 to 76 per cent.

“Our lambing percentage for the past season was 102 per cent from unscanned ewes. We are into our third year of using ASBVs, with some rams testing in the top one per

cent of the breed for yearling clean fleece weight and in the top 10 per cent for yearling body weight.

“At Kedleston Park we are using artificial insemination, embryo transfer and genotyping - all used to produce top performing rams and ewes to keep our clients’ flocks highly profitable.”

John and wife Rosemary founded their stud in 1996 after being state winners of the Victorian Flock of the Year and registered the stud in 2005.

“Ewes were brought from Roseville Park as well as a very influential ram

from Tara Park, both being of Purple Mandulay blood,” said studmaster John.

“A poll stud was registered in 2006 with two poll sports rams and a selection of Kedleston Park ewes. There have been further ewes purchased from Moorundie and rams from Moorundie and Banavie and Lachlan Merinos.

John said his breeding objectives had an emphasis on the growth rate with many top young rams reaching up to 100kg body weight by 12 months of age and ewe lambs having a sufficient body weight by eight to 10 months of age to be joined.

And the aim for staple length was growing up to 12mm a month enabling sheep to be shorn every six months, says John.

Kedleston Park continues to exhibit its faith in showcasing rams, ewes and fleeces - the Calivil stud has taken out the Loddon Valley Field

Day’s coveted pen of three rams on six occasions. And there was repeat success too in the Australian fleece competition at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo this month winning the performance

class fleece and also being awarded most valuable fleece in the performance class sections The fleece’s growth rate was 3.29mm a week and its growth value was rated at $3.41 a week.

FRIDAY 18 TH AUGUST 2023

Genomic tested and ASBVS available on the top 80 Rams

A wall of champion ribbons testament to rams on sale at Kedleston Park

New generation of stylish sheep

WILLERA Merinos is focused on simple objectives that are producing a style of Merino sheep to carry the new generation of breeders into a profitable, exciting and prosperous Merino breeding future.

Says stud manager Simon Coutts: “The ability to maintain a profitable Merino enterprise and wool industry has seen some dramatic changes within the style of the Merino sheep of today.

“Willera Merinos has been at the forefront of this and continues to push hard for staple length and density without compromising a free growing plain bodied animal thus allowing us to become a mules free flock.

“Carcass traits have been selected focussing on deep bodied poll Merinos with high eye muscle and fat which have a good constitution and a broad rump.”

At this year’s Loddon Valley Stud Merino Breeders’ Association Field day, Willera was awarded first prize for the pen of three paddock-run

Inspection: From 10AM on day of sale

Auction: 1PM

Offering: 183 rams

1072 Old BoortSerpentine Road

Bears Lagoon

ewes. “The success for our pen of three ewes shows the consistency of our breeding techniques and outcomes that attracts the attention and bids of farmers from across Victoria and beyond at our annual ram sales.”

Willera only held its first onproperty ram sale in 2018 but is one of the oldest studs in Victoria.

Established in 1890, Willera Merinos is now into the fifth generation of breeding Merinos on land along the Loddon River and Serpentine Creek. It all began in 1842 when George Coutts and his family emigrated from Scotland to northern Victoria. They first settled on the granite

hill, similar to their home land of Scotland, and then the fertile flood plains of the Loddon River.

“Innovation is what has kept our farming family on the land,” said Simon. “Our simple breeding objectives are designing the Merino we view as the profitable and also ethical animal in today’s demanding markets.”

Meeting changing society demands also meant the “trailblazing” step away from mulesing six years ago.

“From a management point of view you’ve really got to be on your game, but I think the benefits outweigh that,” he said. “It’s keeping an eye on worm egg counts and pasture management, ensuring you’ve got enough fibre on offer for lambs.” He said the dual-purpose sheep from Willera gave producers the “bang for your buck out of every part of it — wool, carcass and lambing percentages, the whole box and dice — they have more do-ability and are easier to manage; the focus isn’t all on the wool”.

Sale days at Willera - 183 genomics-tested rams on offer this year while manager Simon Coutts (below) displays a top-selling ram from 2022.

Big frames and wool

NORM Weir aims is to breed big framed, fertile sheep with as much quality wool as possible at his Kerrilyn Merino and Poll Merino Stud.

The Dunluce stud, founded in 1994 based on Belbourie and Wonga bloodlines, does this by using top Artificial Insemination sires.

Norm says all rams are tested and ranked for wool and body traits.

“We test the quality of our stud and effectiveness of the flock by entering wether trials,” he said.

“Both our flocks and clients’ flocks have been very successful in this venture.

“We are predominately a medium wool stud with microns ranging between 16.5 to 21.5.”

Norm said Kerrilyn had a history of breeding heavy-cutting productive sheep.

“We have won four most valuable fleece awards at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show Bendigo as well as a champion strong wool fleece and reserve champion medium

Inspection: From 10.30AM on day of auction

Auction: 12.30PM

Offering: 50 rams

Bealiba South Road, Dunluce

and fine-medium fleece awards.”

Benchmarking of Merino and poll Merinos - the poll stud was established with the purchase of 50 ewes and a ram at the Lewisdale dispersal sale rams and ewes in Western Australia in 2011 - has seen Kerrilyn awarded major prizes. At this month’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Kerrilyn had its best-ever results - its Medium Wool Champion Merino Ewe and then went on to win Grand Champion Medium Wool Ewe.

Kerrilyn also won the Champion Fine Medium Poll Merino Ewe and went on to become Reserve Grand Champion Fine Medium Ewe.

The same sheep were also awarded the Fine Medium Wool and Medium Wool Ewe Victorian Champions. The Medium Wool Ewe then won the Victorian Bred Champion Wool Ewe of the Show Kerrilyn’s fleeces have also received honours over the years including at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show winning the champion Victorian fleece in 2021 that followed from earlier success in taking out the champion medium fleece.

Kerrilyn also won the Stoeleigh Perpetual Challenge Cup (highest aggregate medium wool classes) with champion ribbons, four reserve champion ribbons, 10 firsts, three second ribbons, three thirds and a fourth place in the pairs at the recent Victorian Sheep Show in Ballarat.

“Showing our rams and ewes at major shows is an important part of benchmarking what we do and gives confidence to our commercial flock buyers, who come from across central and northern Victoria and beyond,” said Norm.

Benchmarking confidence: Norm Weir with another Kerrilyn champion ram at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.