Breeding Shedding Sheep

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Currently we have three stud rams that we are putting over our 150 breeding ewes.  These rams have been selected for genetics showing good growth rates, shedding and above all FE resistance from some of the best ram breeders in Australasia.

2024 rams include one of our own bred Whakatiri rams.  He was the top pick of our rams this year and we are very happy with his performance and Breeding Values.

I have also used a ram purchased from Arvidson who is a very high rating FE tolerant animal and has been in our program now for three years.  This also provides good linkage within our flock to help with comparison between years.

To add to the inter flock linkage we have also used the Central Progeny Testing Shedding Sheep Link Sire for 2024.  Selected from Ross Richards flock, Richwilt, he is a high performing and top ranking FE animal and has been selected by the SIL registered shedding sheep breeders as a link sire.

All three of these rams have been selected for their FE scores and all are Ramguard tested.  As well as this, we have ensured that we continue to focus on growth, reproduction and conformation.

I am very happy with how all three of these rams have performed during tupping and am excited to see their progeny on the ground.

Current stud stock;

5012.312/22      (Whakatiri)

2368.84/20 (Arvidson)

2351.W500/22 (Richwilt)

We have 150 breeding ewes that have been selected and purchased from some of the top genetics in the country.  With a focus on bringing up our flock standards we are now culling heavily and focusing on a high number of replacement ewes.  This means that we are capitalising on the benefits that we get from each generation.  Our ewe replacements are all twins that have grown on mum at a minimum of 300g/day to weaning.  Obviously we are only using lambs that have shed by Dec and have a good confirmation.

We select our rams for growth, muscling and  structure.  All must be fully shed at weaning and come from twinning mothers.  We are currently testing our rams at 0.35 with Ramguard.  We have been able to reach this high level of testing by using the best FE genetics in the country to build our flock.

Our ewe lambs are all fully shed by Dec and must come from Dams that have twinning history.  We are blood testing our replacement stock against what is normally a high natural FE challenge and ensuring that any animal with raised GGT levels is being culled from the stud flock.

We also focus on ensuring that our ewe replacements are highly productive, therefore cull any animal that does not wean a lamb as a hogget and wean twins as a two-tooth.  This results in animals that are producing more offspring over their lifetime and are productive in their first year.

Our shedding sheep are breed with the commercial farmer in mind.  Our measures of success is to have >170% lambs weaned as large meaty animals ready for the works or minimal finishing.  Although there is a lot of talk about Wiltshires not needing drenching, we find that selective drenching as lambs does deliver better results.  Our Ewes are not drenched and any animal that has a high FEC is culled.  The biggest gain you can get in your flock is to have stud rams delivering the genetics that are going to be passed on for generations. Reducing the inputs required around wool production is the key benefit to this breed and all replacement or sale stock must not only be shed by December, but must also only grow short winter fleeces.  Wiltshires have much thicker skin than other breeds and therefore can tolerate extreme conditions as well as any animal.  

We differentiate our rams from most by focusing on breeding Facial Eczema resistance into our animals.  We are selecting very strongly for this trait and sourcing only the best genetics to ensure that we are able to pass on this highly heritable gene.  We are farming in a very hot area and Eczema has always been a big issue.  We no longer treat any of our animals for eczema and blood test at the end of the season to check if there is any animals with elevated levels of GGT (liver damage).