Lewisdale stud sires |
“If you manage your sheep flock correctly there is good money to be made. “If many farmers put as much into their sheep as they do into their cropping program, they would see their returns increase significantly. “Pregnancy test your ewes and if there are any dry ones mate them again – it is all about getting lambs on the ground. “Economics has driven the Merino to a different shape and ewes must be able to produce or they go out the gate.” Last year's on-property ram sale saw Lewisdale sell 300 rams under the hammer for a $1311 average. “It was good to see repeat clients from all areas of the state in attendance and the feedback we have had from clients as to the performance of Lewisdale sheep has been encouraging,” Ray said.At the Lewisdale stud special attention is paid to the ewe breeding flock. "Ewes are such an important part of the Merino industry, and we for several years now, we have been selecting our ewes to suit the modern day farming requirements," Ray said. "With the current labour shortage we need to be breeding an easy care, low maintenance sheep. This means we need plain, yet productive sheep that require little attention, such as the ewes pictured above." Ray said lambing percentage was now more important than wool cut in a self replacing flock. "With the way the meat market is now, more lambs on the ground means more money and while we still concentrate on wool quality, we are also aiming to breed a highly fertile Merino ewe and we are achieving that aim," he said. "We are breeding ewes that are 21 micron, 70pc yield and are regularly achieving over 100pc lambing. |
