Agriculture
10 September, 2023
Good wool cut and crimp in flock replacement rams
ON-PROPERTY STUD RAM SALE KAMAROOKA PARK Inspection: On day of auction Auction: 1PM Offering: 50 rams 162 CAILS ROAD, KAMAROOKA KAMAROOKA Park Poll Merinos has a focus on wool cut, bold crimp and length of staple. “Our major focus is breeding rams...
ON-PROPERTY STUD RAM SALE
KAMAROOKA PARK
Inspection: On day of auction
Auction: 1PM
Offering: 50 rams
162 CAILS ROAD, KAMAROOKA
KAMAROOKA Park Poll Merinos has a focus on wool cut, bold crimp and length of staple.
“Our major focus is breeding rams that will lift and improve wool cuts while acknowledging the need to have sheep that are easy to shear given the pressures of declining shearer numbers,” says stud principal Erroll Hay.
He started breeding poll Merinos sheep in 1989 and is was passionate about conformation and breeding long-stapled, bold crimp sheep.
And after more than 30 years, Erroll is transitioning Kamarooka Park to a non-mulesed stud by next year.
“That’s the expectation of the market today. When I attended a field day in New South Wales, I had my mind changed, seeing sheep that were extremely plain in the breech - they were non-mulesed and they cut their tails off at the right length. But we must retain wool cut.”
“Our major focus is breeding rams that will lift and improve wool cuts whilst acknowledging the need to have sheep that are easy to shear given the pressures of declining shearer numbers.”
He purchased a ram one year ago and is more than half-way to meeting his non-mulesed flock goal.
Erroll said he looked for good-standing rams with a good rear end and face and stood up long in their neck. “One of the rams I used is exactly what we want in the non-mulesing, very plain in the breech and I’m extremely happy with that drop of rams,” he said.
Mr Hay said he saw a growing trend in the wool market and consumer interest and believed non-mulesed would be the way forward for his operation.
Erroll said outstanding success with a Banavie sire, had led Kamarooka Park to join a large number of ewes and potentially provide stud sires and outstanding flock rams and top ewe replacements.
“Additionally, we see the introduction of Ridgway Advance bloodlines as an exciting step. A large draft of ewes have been joined to RA semen sires along with ewes joined to the RA ram we bought at the Classings sale for $17,000,” he said.
“Another draft of ewes have been joined to Brookdale 14012, a Western Australian ram we believe will enhance our breeding program.”
Kamarooka Park has also had success in recent Loddon Valley Field Day ram and ewe competitions and at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.