Agriculture
8 January, 2025
Grandma’s genes: The ewe behind a modern stud dynasty
By CHRIS EARL GRANDMA is passing on good genetics for Norm Weir at his Dunluce stud. Two generations on from grandma winning Grand Champion strong wool ewe at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Norm’s knack of consistently breeding quality ewes...
By CHRIS EARL
GRANDMA is passing on good genetics for Norm Weir at his Dunluce stud.
Two generations on from grandma winning Grand Champion strong wool ewe at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Norm’s knack of consistently breeding quality ewes saw him win the Champion Victoria Bred Ewe broad ribbon.
“It all started with the grandmother and is coming down through the generations,” said Norm.
“Drew Chapman from Hinesville Merino Stud at Delegate, New South Wales, liked the ewe when he saw her at Bendigo in 2018.
“We came to an agreement that included Kerrilyn receiving some of the progeny. He gave us a handy horned ram from the joining.”
And the genetic strengths were being passed on to the 2023 top ewe that was also Reserve Champion medium Merino ewe in 2022 as a two-tooth.
“The genetics have followed through from the grandmother. The ewes and their fleeces have been in the ribbons for four years,” he said.
“We won champion and reserve champion ribbons and five most valuable fleece awards including the grandmother’s fleece in 2019 and was awarded reserve Champion medium wool fleece and most valuable medium fleece. In 2019 the grandmother’s fleece also won champion and heaviest fleece at the Natte Bealiba Football Netball Club fleece show. In 2018 Kerrilyn was the most successful stud fleece exhibitor at Bendigo.
“There’s no doubt 2018 was one of our most successful years when we won the reserve champion with the same weaner that had starred on the mat the previous year. There were champions at Hamilton Sheepvention and then went on to become champions at Bendigo.”
Norm said the top Victorian champion ewe’s father was an ET ram sired by Hinesville Dinkum over the grandmother.
“She was always the standout in the paddocks from a weaner with a long and attractive body,” he said.
At Bendigo last year, Kerrilyn also won medium wool champion Merino ewe and then went on to win grand champion Medium wool ewe and champion fine medium poll Merino ewe.
“The Victorian Ewe of the Year has since been joined and has had a ram lamb and is in lamb again. She is definitely a fertile ewe,” he said.
“The pedigree running down the line from the grandmother will hopefully continue through our breeding program.”
He’s also quick to add that the grandmother’s sister was Supreme Champion at the National Merino Show in Dubbo after being selected as Reserve Champion strong wool ewe in Bendigo in 2019. At Bendigo last year she also won Champion strong wool Merino ewe with a sister.
Norm said that it had mostly been Kerrilyn’s ewes that had caught the eye of judges.
“They seem to outperform our rams on the mat although we did have a champion ram at Bendigo in 2014 and a poll ram in 2019 that was Reserve Champion all-purpose ram and the ram in our Reserve Champion March-shorn pairs at Bendigo and Reserve Champion hogget ram at Marnoo.”
The stud was founded on Belbourie and Wonga bloodlines and the poll Merino stud established in 2011 with the purchase of 50 ewes and a ram at the Lewisdale dispersal sale in Western Australia.
“The stud name used my wife Kerri’s name. We liked the sound of it and it was a way of recognising that my wife, the school teacher, had helped keep the farm going in tough times.”
Kerrilyn made its debut on the show circuit in the final years of the Australian Sheep and Wool Show being held in Melbourne.
“Kerri and I had established the stud in 1994 and in those days, there was a restricted section for newer breeders. We won the strong wool Reserve Champion,” Norm said.
For 30 years Norm has been a staunch supporter of shows and industry events where he says there is enjoyment and the chance to look at sheep on display from other studs.
“You get to see how you compare … I am not against figures for measuring and assessing sheep but you need to be at the shows to see the best,” he said.
“The sheep I like have lots of wool and I do admit to still having a liking for the horned although most years we put out show teams that are about 50:50 poll and horned.
“We get to benchmark our quality by showing at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Hamilton Sheepvention, Hay Sheep Show, Ballarat Sheep Show, Natte-Bealiba Football Netball Club Wool Show, the Loddon Valley Field Day and Marnoo Victorian State Merino Field Day.”
He says the past three decades has seen lambs mature earlier and produce bigger wool clips. Norm has also been doing some of his own research and believes twin-reared lambs have become more fertile. “The lambing percentages have certainly increased over time.”
“We have been pedigreeing our stud sheep for 20 plus years and have used a number of rams, either through AI or rams purchased, who are Australian Champion Rams or closely related, both poll and horned.
“It’s no surprise these genetics appear in our best progeny both measured and visual traits as these sires must be large, structurally correct sheep with quality wool to be given these awards. Both our top 2023 show ewes now have the next generation up and going.”
The Dunluce stud is predominately a Medium wool Stud with an under 20 average micron most years.
Kerrilyn has a history of breeding heavy cutting productive sheep and just as its ewes have been consistently in the prize, so too have the stud’s fleeces.
“We’ve been fortunate to win many fleece awards at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show over the years,” he said.
Norm and Kerri also have an eye for the future of agriculture and the Merino industry. Concerned that Victoria was the only state not part of Australian Wool Innovation’s school wether challenge initiative, Victorian Stud Merino Breeders’ Association president Alan Harris this year enlisted Norm’s support to kick off the state’s first event.
The AWI initiative gives students hands-on experience covering a broad range of sheep and wool production skills. It provides a unique and practical experience for the students, much different from classroom learning.
Norm provided the 66 wethers now at the 11 schools. Each school team will show their wethers during a competition final in Clunes where stock will be judged on meat and wool quality.
“The challenge is also a way of opening the eyes of young people to the wide range of careers that exist in the agricultural sector,” Norm said.
That eye to the future also includes keeping the family interested in farming. “Son Ryan was a junior champion sheep judge now cropping north of St Arnaud, son Brennan owns Sportspower and Toyworld shops across country Victoria and daughter Jade has three boys ... they love the farm.
“Jade takes most of the photos we use in our stud promotions and is the marketing manager at Conquest Engineering.
“We’ve seven grandsons and one keeps telling me he wants to help on the farm. I hope I will last long enough to hand on the farm and keep the genetics of the family being passed down through the generations,” said Norm.
This article was first published in the 2024 Merino Victoria Yearbook