2015 biannual - australian poll dorset...

2015 Biannual Poll Dorset ConferenceECHUCA, VICTORIA

Further information will be sent to members regarding registrations and bookings in the following months. The conference program is subject to change. For further information please contact the Conference coordinators; Geoff Davey, ([email protected], ph: 03 5452 2438) or Rob McCartney, ([email protected], ph 03 5824 2464). Alternatively, Tessa Dawes ([email protected], ph 08 8210 5235).

The conference is being held at the Rich River Golf Club Moama, Echuca, Victoria PROGRAM

Sunday March 15 2015Evening - Meet & Greet - BBQ Dinner

Monday March 16 20159am-5pm Conference

Evening – Social Function (no speakers)

Tuesday March 17 2015Echuca Explorations Including• Gibson’s Manufacturing: Sheep & Cattle Yard Manufacturing• Beer Shed Tour (a step back in time) & Morning Tea• Paddle Steamer Voyage & Lunch• Conference activities concluding by 1:30pm

APDA Board Meeting to commence back at the Rich River Golf Club.

MAKE SURE YOU DON’T MISS OUT!Contact the coordinators below for more information

3Poll Dorset Journal September 2014

A well put together program was educational and entertaining - from Jason Trompf squeezing into his premiership footy guernsey from many years past, a feast of lamb, and a horse called Drummer - which, if we all had one like him, would see the demise of the 4 wheeled motorbike.

Poll Dorsets featured in the prize lists of the Australian Best Lamb Competition, with Tattykeel, Newbold and Malone Lamb (see PD Journal Sept 2013) in the Gold medal lists. Congratulations to those producers, and thank you for flying the PD flag. PDs eating quality is very good!! PDs produce top eating quality lamb with lean meat yield (LMY).

The Adelaide Region organised the PD stand with Tess, and Kate McLachlan (Close) putting together a simple but effective display. Thank you to all who put in the effort to assist with setting up and manning the stand. We are fortunate to have people who go the extra mile to promote the breed.

SGA has indicated that DNA tests for EQ (IMF and shear force) will shortly be available across all flocks. Ideally it would be good to test all our stud sires, with the objective of eliminating rams with poor eating quality characteristics.

I have managed to visit the Goulburn Valley region, the Cowra Dorset Championships and the Bendigo ASBA show. Thank you for the hospitality shown to Lyn and me at these gatherings. These trips have been quite fruitful and have resulted in some problem solving. I encourage regional secretaries to email me with meeting dates - no promises, but one can only try.

Geoff Davey and Rob McCartney have done lots of spadework and come up with preliminary plans for Conference

2015 at Echuca. Make sure you book early, as places are limited.

Congratulations to Geoff Davey (Vic) and Paul Day (Tas) on their appointment to the Board, replacing Geoff Poyner and Frank Badcock. I trust you will both enjoy your time on the PD Board and help improve PDs and their market share. Thank you again to Geoff and Frank for all your efforts.

We are entering the show/sale season, with southern areas having had a particularly mild winter, resulting in animals in good condition. Demand for lambs looks set to remain strong, with sheep numbers in Australia not likely to increase dramatically. This means we will need to produce better rams (growth, LMY, EQ etc) to maintain our market share. The challenge is there.

This being the 60th year of Poll Dorsets the Australasian Dorset Championships dinner is focussed on this celebration. The RASV is also hosting celebrations at the Royal Melbourne, and RAHS is making a feature of Poll Dorsets at the Adelaide Show.

The Young Ambassador Award has been moved from Adelaide to Bendigo, making it easier for the candidates. The timetable is yet to be finalised but candidates will be informed.

It has been encouraging that members are coming forward with ideas and suggestions. This is most helpful, especially if accompanied by a well-reasoned proposal.

Regional secretaries are reminded that the same arrangements apply as last year for rebates on regional advertising - check with our secretary, Tessa.

Alan Schinckel President

I am writing this having just come off the back of Lambex. Congratulations to Allan Piggott and his committee for what turned out to be the highlight of the year in the sheep world.

4 Poll Dorset Journal September 2014

To have 50 % of the finalists sired by Poll Dorsets is way ahead of any other breed. While we did not get to claim the overall winner, the Poll Dorsets’ consistent high quality performance was unmatched. This is something every Poll Dorset breeder can be proud of and willing to promote that aspect to potential clients.

We have the national advertising programs in place with Fairfax Media (Rural Press) in the four southern mainland states and with Tas Country in Tasmania. We will be using similar adverts to last year with simple one line catch phrases. It is up to individual members to follow on and take advantage of the profile we are giving the breed.

Regions are reminded that their ram levy funds can, and should be used to assist with more localised promotions. The overall national program has been adjusted to take advantage of several one-off type opportunities that have arisen. These have included the Poll Dorset successes at the Dubbo Carcase Competition as well as the Lambex success, plus the Feature Breed showing in Adelaide to celebrate the breed’s 60th year since foundation.

The virtues of the Poll Dorset breed are plentiful and finding promotional points is relatively easy. That said though, the results from the Lambex 2014 ‘Australia’s Best Lamb’ competition were particularly heartening and positive.

Promotional packs for each region have been formulated, although the production of some of the content has taken a lot longer to achieve than desired. The ultimate barometer for ram sales is lamb prices and seasonal conditions. In general 2014 has aligned a lot of positivity around the industry and breed.

Deadlines: Whether it is for bookings and material for the Journal, returns for the flock book, or other matters that require your attention, we ask that you please be aware of the importance of deadlines. They are not put in place to be a hinderance; rather they are necessary for us to achieve outcomes on time. Failure to meet deadlines is invariably the reason for late publishing.

QR Code: We have developed this new QR code which if scanned by your smartphone (you will need to have the QR code scanning app loaded) will take you straight to the Poll Dorset website.

Ian Turner Promotions Officer

Dorset Wool WANTED

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Australian Wool Network is renowned for its ability to bring wool growers and wool processors closer together.

Call our Wool Specialists today

Greg Sawyer0409 555 877

Kelvin Shelley0427 055 622

Brent Squires0408 561 286


Flock RegisterAll members please note that to date the 2014 Volume 60 Flock Register has not been printed. It is estimated the flock book should be finalised/posted before mid-September to all members.

WebsiteThe new Association website is near completion and will provide a fresh, modern and informative space for members, breeders and consumers. Members are continually encouraged to submit photos for promotional use throughout the Association.

Judge Nominations and Ballots As per a motion from the 2014 March Board meeting, judge ballots/ nominations will now be conducted via email for all major Shows.

Registration Management System ‘ARC’Australian Rural Connect ‘ARC’ is now operational. The program caters for registrations, transfers and annual returns through a web portal. A demonstration of the program will be conducted at the 2015 Biannual Poll Dorset Conference held in Echuca, Victoria.

LambExThe Australian sheep and lamb industry gathered in Adelaide for an extremely successful event. Congratulations to the many members who volunteered their time including the hosting Adelaide Region and supporting Naracoorte-Hamilton Region.

Regional Advertising LevyAll regions have a promotional levy available, allocated at a minimum of $1000 and up to $2000 (depending on flock rams sold per region) all region secretaries have been emailed with details. If assistance is required with advertising content please contact Ian Turner ([email protected]). Please ensure all advertising is proofed for uniformity and the lamb supreme logo is used in all Association promotions and communications.

2014 Poll Dorset Young Ambassador Due to last minute alterations, the 2014 PD Young Ambassador event will now be hosted during the 2014 Australasian Dorset Championships, Bendigo, Victoria, September 13.

Promotion MaterialsRegions are being supplied with a new banner accompanied with a promotional pack, including brochures, posters, stickers and flyers. These will be available for collection at the Australasian Dorset Championships in Bendigo, if your region requires promotional material before then, please contact the Secretary.

Tessa Dawes Secretary

Volume 42 Number 2 August / September 2014

Lambex Success Page 17

Livestock success despite cropping trend Page 30

Where it began Page 8

Inside this issue...

Abelene Park 34Aberdeen 55Armdale/Armdale Park 20Australasian Dorset Champs 39AWN 5Bromar 56Broughton Lodge 49Coledale 30Deloraine Downs 42Derrynock 48Englewood Park 54Fox & Lillie 51Glen Devon 32Gloroy 14Hillcroft Farms 40Hillden 36Janmac 43Konongwootong 38Kurralea 10

Leenala 33Mallee Park 4Merial 19/31Morton 47Newbold 46Penrise/Punchgrove 35Poll Dorset Conference 2Rene 26Ridgehaven 37Shellal 47Springwaters 6Stockscan 27Sunnybanks/Faraday Park 50Tattykeel 28Ulandi Park 16Valley Vista 44Valma 24Yentrac 52


Feature Breed Showing at Adelaide in 60th YearWhile the celebrations are not as big as for the breed’s 50th year, 2014 is still very significant as it marks the 60th year since the foundation of the Australian Poll Dorset Association.

To help celebrate that occasion, the Adelaide region has been organising a feature breed display and promotion at this year’s Adelaide Royal Show in September in the best sheep shed in the country.

This year is also a significant milestone for the RA&H Society of SA as it celebrates its 175th Adelaide Royal Show, so celebrations will be twofold.

Led by Lachlan Hart, the Adelaide Poll Dorset region committee has worked hard on sponsorship and logistics for the showing. The major sponsor is Rabobank who has been outstanding in their support of the Royal Adelaide Show sheep showings and has again committed $10,000 in prize money. Other sponsors have committed a further $3000 in cash and prizes.

Breeders have responded well with 15 South Australian and 4 Interstaters entering. Collectively they have nominated 235 sheep to make up an impressive 273 entries in the various classes.

“There has been great support and entries, plus wonderful prizemoney on offer, so it should be a great spectacle. We encourage all people with an interest in prime lamb production and the Poll Dorset breed to come along to watch. Spectators will be able to admire the attributes that have made Poll Dorsets Australia’s number one prime lamb sire breed,” Lachlan Hart said.

The date to remember is Saturday 6th September when the feature breed judging will take place. The judging will be under the control of highly respected New Zealand judge, Neville Greenwood, Adelong Poll Dorset stud, Christchurch.

On their 350 hectare property situated 30km south of Christchurch, Neville and his wife Dianne run a real mix of enterprises including

cereals, feed crops, small seeds, vegetables, wintering dairy cows, some beef cattle and commercial ewes for prime lamb production, as well as their Adelong Poll Dorset stud.

In their stud breeding enterprise, their objective is to produce easy doing and productive sheep with good constitutions that will work well in all environs. They have obviously had success as their flock now comprises 650 breeding ewes, and besides selling 10 to 12 stud rams per year, Adelong has exported Poll Dorset genetics to 11 countries, including Australia. They hold an annual sale each year in early December.

Neville is no stranger to Australian judging rings, having adjudicated here on three previous occasions. As part of the breed’s 50th year celebrations in 2004, he judged the group classes at the Melbourne Royal Show and then went on to officiate at the Perth Royal Show. He again officiated at the Melbourne Royal in 2008.

On Sunday the 7th September, most of the interbreed judging will occur, followed by the Elite ram sale. Exhibitors have entered 7 Poll Dorsets in this multi-breed sale.

There is also a casual combined sheep breeders’ dinner at the showgrounds on the Saturday evening following judging. Those interested in attending can book in by purchasing tickets from the Rural Services office at the Showground on (08) 8210 5229 n

Highly respected New Zealand Poll Dorset breeder, Neville Greenwood will be the judge at the 2014 Adelaide Feature Breed showing of Poll Dorsets that will celebrate the breed’s 60th year since foundation. Neville, who will be accompanied by his wife Dianne (both pictured), will have over 270 entries to assess.

Adelaide Poll Dorset region president, Lachlan Hart holds the champion ewe at last year’s Adelaide Royal Show. This year’s show celebrates the breed’s 60th year since foundation with feature breed status and over $13,000 of prizes and prize money to be won.


By CATHERINE MILLER (Stock Journal)

A vision by pioneering stud breeder WJ Dawkins from Newbold stud at Gawler River to breed polled sheep from Dorset Horns laid the successful foundations for Australia’s most popular terminal sire breed.

Sixty years on the Newbold stud is still going strongly with many of the breed’s leading studs in Australia either being founded on, or using Newbold genetics.

Over the years the stud, recognised and registered as Number 1 in the flock book has also sold rams overseas to South Africa, England, Peru, India, China and the United States.

The breeders at the helm of Newbold, including the current stud principal Bill Close, have left their mark on the breed through their industry involvement.

Newbold - Where it all began...

“WJ” had been breeding Dorset Horn rams for 23 years before his first attempt in 1937 to breed a Poll Dorset. At that time it is believed more than 90 per cent of the Dorset Horn sheep breed carried Newbold blood.

He quickly recognised the need to breed polled sheep without losing their good carcase qualities as significant work had been done to adapt the Dorset Horn to Australian conditions.

His first mating involved a registered Corriedale ram owned by his brother with one of his purebred Newbold Dorset Horn ewes. The progeny was a good polled ewe lamb.

She was mated to another Newbold Dorset Horn ram in 1940, the progeny being a polled ram lamb, Newbold Polley No. 1 of 1941.

The policy was to mate poll rams on pure Dorset Horn ewes, and pure Dorset Horn rams on poll ewes, year after year until a level of at least 95 per cent pure Dorset Horn blood was attained.

“He was ruthless on quality and culled a vast number of the progeny produced. Predominantly he went back to Polley No1.with his Newbold Dorset Horn ewes,” Bill said.

By 1954 the sheep bred by WJ Dawkins, and his son in law Jack Reddin as well as two other breed pioneers Lyall Stuart from Valma stud, Tasmania and Rex Wilson, Kismet stud, Howlong, NSW were of a sufficient quality to establish a breed society.

Three years later, in 1957, Poll Dorsets made their debut at the Royal Adelaide Show. In the first year there were just eight entries, but this grew exponentially to more than 120 by 1966.

The Newbold stud’s early dominance was evident, winning champion ram for seven of the first eight years and champion ewe for the first five years.

In 1966, ‘WJ’ divided his flock between his four daughters.

His second daughter, Louise Close took on the management of her sheep with the prefix ‘Newbold North’. In 1976 Louise’s youngest son Bill, joined the stud team and in 1982 the prefix reverted back to Newbold.

Bill and wife Angela’s commercial focus and their embracing of the benefits of performance recording have seen Newbold reach new heights. Newbold is now one of the highest ranked LAMBPLAN flocks in Australia. Their current sire team’s average ASBV figures are: Wwt10.5, Pwwt15.5, Pfat -0.7, and Pemd 2.0.

“We are focussed on providing the most profitable rams for our clients. Once we have the basic structural balance addressed, we believe that growth rates still remain the most important characteristic that rams can offer lamb producers. Of course we take many other ASBVs into consideration as well and want animals with a good temperament, plus easy lambing characteristics.”

Bill acknowledges that the stud’s considerable broad ribbon successes have been a real thrill and benchmark against other studs. These included three champions at three major Royal Shows in 1974 with three different rams.

WJ Dawkins

Their greatest satisfaction though has come from seeing other studs succeed with Newbold genetics, and their commercial clients selling top quality lambs.

A gold medal in the 22-26kg carcase weight grass fed class at the inaugural Australia’s Best Lamb Competition, held in conjunction with LambEx last month, is one of the most significant awards for the stud.

“ We have always enjoyed breeding good sheep and striving to have good growth and muscling, but to have the eating quality of our sheep recognised by butchers and consumers was a real highlight.”

Newbold Poll Dorset Lamb is now available from Crestline Meats in Gawler.

The stud flock currently comprises 350 Poll Dorset ewes which consistently achieve lambing percentages around 160 percent. This enables heavy selection pressure and the retaining of only the very best ewe hoggets.

Around 200 rams are sold each year at the stud’s on-property sale, the Adelaide Elite Ram Sale and at the Australasian Poll Dorset Championships in Bendigo.

In the past few years many rams have been DNA tested to identify


Bill & Angela Close and their daughter Kate McLachlan (left), and Kate’s children Hugo & Maggie are pictured with some of the foundation stud’s Poll Dorset rams that will be offered this year. This is on the old Newbold property where Kate and her husband Craig live, and is across the paddock from the old stables where WJ Dawkins held his first on-property sale 70 years ago – back where it all began.

superior sires for hard to measure traits such as eating quality and worm resistance.

Bill attributes the Australian Poll Dorset as playing a major role in making Australia the pre-eminent lamb producing and exporting country in the world.

“The growth rates, lean meat yields, and meat eating quality that the Poll Dorset now exhibits, make it the sire of choice for the majority of all prime lamb sired lambs in Australia,” he said.

The Dawkins and Close families’ involvement in the history of the Poll Dorset breed is a source of immense pride and Bill is thrilled that his daughter Kate and son in law Craig McLachlan are continuing the tradition.

“As a family, we are extremely proud of our long and continuous involvement in the Poll Dorset breed, both from a sheep breeding perspective and the leadership roles we have held, influencing the direction the breed has taken.We hope to continue to do this for many years to come,” he said.

The Close family’s enthusiasm for the Poll Dorset breed is unwavering.

“The Poll Dorset genetic pool is very strong and the consistency is very good. Poll Dorset Lambplan data is very accurate and there are Poll Dorset leaders in most ASBV traits. With all that going for it, plus the large number of dynamic breeders involved, the future looks bright for the Poll Dorset breed and the lamb industry.

In a double celebration, this year will also mark Newbold’s 70th annual on-property sheep sale on September 25th. n

Producing a unique blend of elite performance & structural excellence

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He has several outstanding sons in our annual on-property sale

Tuesday 30th September 2014 12:30pm EST

Offering approximately 30 stud rams and 150 flock rams

* K110011’s top son - K130153 (C+ 190) from a Pure Gold daughter has been retained with over 70 lambs on the ground.

Being semen collected - enquiries welcome

Free delivery from our sale to Victoria and South AustraliaCatalogue will be on-line prior to sale

www.kurralea.comEnquiries welcome on all classes of stock and semen from our top sires

Contact: Ben & Lucy Prentice, ‘Kurralea’, Ariah Park, NSWPh: Ben (02) 6975 2772 Mob 0429 814 549 Kim (02) 6975 2606

Email: [email protected] Fax: (02) 6975 2666

Kurralea 110011 - Champion ram Adelaide 2012 & sold for an Australian record $28,000

to the Ulandi Park & Janmac studs

The record breaker & super sire

Kurralea 130053 - by 11011 May drop - Carcase Plus index 194

Kurralea 130233 - by 11011 May drop - Carcase Plus index 193

2 top sons for sale

Kurralea 130086 - by UP 080185May drop - Carcase Plus index 192

There are also other top breedering lines represented in the saleCheck these youngsters out

Kurralea 130546 - by K120023 July drop - Carcase Plus index 194

Kurralea 130291 - by UP 080185 May drop - Carcase Plus index 194

Kurralea 130458 - by Valma 090244June drop - Carcase Plus index 197

MN2 Vac


The Young Ambassador Award has attracted 3 finalists. The assessment has been moved from Adelaide to Bendigo, making it easier for the candidates to attend the final assessment.

Profiles from the 3 candidates are included here. They will be notified of final judging times with the result published in the December issue.

3 fight it out to be the Young Ambassador


We are saddened to report the passing of four stalwarts of the Poll Dorset breed; Mr Michael Lowe, NSW and formally of Karawina stud fame; Mr Ian McIntosh, Victoria, Mr Garry Heath also from Victoria, plus Mr Les Duffield from the Broughton Lodge stud in South Australia.

We have an obituary submitted on Ian McIntosh, and a brief on Garry Heath, but had hoped to have more extensive obituaries on the other two stalwarts of the breed in this issue. Hopefully we can include those in the December issue.

Mr Garry HeathIt is with the deepest regret that we note the sudden passing of our esteemed colleague, friend and fellow Poll Dorset breeder, Mr Garry Heath. Garry was a valued member of the Victorian State Committee and served on the Inspection Team. He was also the current Victorian State Committee Vice-President and past President of the Victorian Central Region. Garry and his wife Pam ran the Heathcote stud at Balliang in Victoria. Our thoughts go out to his wife Pam and family at this very difficult time. He will be sadly missed.

Mr Ian McIntoshThe Poll Dorset breed has lost the last of the original Council members in the passing of Mr Ian T McIntosh on 4th June 2014 at Benalla, Victoria.

After suffering a stroke in April 2008, Ian dispersed his Mirnoo Flock No 9 in November 2009. The Mirnoo Flock was founded in 1945 and was the oldest Poll Dorset stud in Victoria. He still remained keenly interested in the breed he and his father John, played a major part in establishing.

The McIntosh’s used their Stud Ryland ram to cross with some of their Dorset Horn stud ewes to start removing the horn gene. Along with some other far thinking Dorset Horn breeders, the McIntosh’s did the early ground work to make the breed the leading prime lamb sire in Australia today.

Ian was a Federal Councillor of the Poll Dorset breed for 27 years and was elected President of the Australian Sheep Breeder’s Association in 1984. His main focus was on the future of the Poll Dorset breed with no thought as to whether he would gain personally from any assistance given or time he might have spent.

Ian was held in the highest regard by all who knew him. He was very helpful and encouraging to any new members of the breed and was very active in the G.V. Region as well as at State and Federal levels.

Ian was very proud of his Scottish heritage and often spoke of his father’s advice or experience. He had a very sharp mind and a wonderful memory for genetics. He adopted the performance recording system of Lambplan as soon as the AMLC brought it into being.

Ian is survived by his wife of 45 years Gill, daughter Kirsty who lives in London, and son Dougal and his wife Claire and their two daughters Amelia and Adele. n

14 Poll Dorset Journal May 2014

Final stage

Dispersal!

www.gloroy.com.auEnquiries welcome anytime: Colin & Jenny Harris

Newbridge-Laanecoorie Road, Newbridge, Vic, 3551 Ph. (03) 5438 7473 Mob. 0427 292 348

Email: [email protected]

A rare and final opportunity - one not to be missed

"�e Final Countdown”

� �ursday 2nd October at Newbridge, Victoria

Johnes eligible to all states

Offering approx 200 stud ewes & 200 rams (including 30 studs) - all 2013 drops

Approx 25% of this 2013 drop have Carcase Plus indices over 200, while over 50% have Trade$ indices of 112 or better.

Check the website for regular updates & a full catalogue closer to the sale

MN3VOver 20 years in Lambplan

GLOROY POLL DORSETSAfter 57 years of Poll Dorset breeding the Harris family is closing

the curtain on one of Australia’s most successful and progressive studs.

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Clayton Rowett explains the ram assessment to some of the workshop participants.

Andrea and Clayton Rowett at the workshop with their client Neil Hampel, Marrabel.

Andrea and Clayton Rowett are pictured at the workshop with SA Rural Solution’s Bruce Hancock.

Clayton and Andrea Rowett, Ulandi Park, Marrabel, SA have hosted a number of workshops over the years aimed at educating ram buyers on the merits of buying the best ram for their flock.

Clients recently travelled up to two hours to attend a RamSelect workshop hosted by the stud. It was worth the trip, with workshop participants giving an average score of 9.8 out of 10 for how useful the workshop had been in assisting them with future ram selections.

Around 70 percent of the stud’s clients currently use ASBVs to assist in their decision making when buying rams. This means that clients are a lot more likely to be satisfied with the progeny

those rams produce, because they are more closely aligned to the buyer’s own breeding objectives. The stud will continue to host the workshops, as Clayton and Andrea believe there is still a gap in knowledge amongst sheep producers and service providers about ASBVs and how they could be used.

“We aim to work alongside our clients to achieve the best possible outcome in their prime lamb enterprise”, Clayton said.

“If clients have a better understanding of what we are aiming for as stud breeders, they can align that with their own breeding objectives. Understanding and utilizing ASBVs assists in this process”.

Final stage

Dispersal!

www.gloroy.com.auEnquiries welcome anytime: Colin & Jenny Harris

Newbridge-Laanecoorie Road, Newbridge, Vic, 3551 Ph. (03) 5438 7473 Mob. 0427 292 348

Email: [email protected]

A rare and final opportunity - one not to be missed

"�e Final Countdown”

� �ursday 2nd October at Newbridge, Victoria

Johnes eligible to all states

Offering approx 200 stud ewes & 200 rams (including 30 studs) - all 2013 drops

Approx 25% of this 2013 drop have Carcase Plus indices over 200, while over 50% have Trade$ indices of 112 or better.

Check the website for regular updates & a full catalogue closer to the sale

MN3VOver 20 years in Lambplan

GLOROY POLL DORSETSAfter 57 years of Poll Dorset breeding the Harris family is closing

the curtain on one of Australia’s most successful and progressive studs.

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RamSelect workshops help buyers pick the right ram

The RamSelect workshop, developed by Sheep Genetics and the Sheep CRC, aims to increase ram buyers’ confidence in selecting the best value rams for their breeding objective. The workshop recently gained the CRC Association’s annual award for Excellence in Innovation – Training and Education, in recognition of the dramatic impact the workshop has had on the adoption of new research by the industry, and the resultant improvements in industry productivity.

In the lead up to the 2014 ram selling season, RamSelect coordinator in South Australia, Anne Collins is encouraging other studs to host workshops for their clients.

“The choice of ram impacts on flock performance for many years, and it is important that commercial breeders are confident in using measured performance information and combining that with their visual assessment,” she said.

If you would like more information, or are interested in running a workshop for your clients, contact either Lu Hogan at the Sheep CRC on 0427 687 432, or your state representative. In South Australia, that contact is Anne Collins, the author of this report from Rural Solutions SA; Mob: 0427 486 115. n

Clayton and Andrea Rowett, RSD 33A, Kapunda SA 5373(63 Murray’s Road, Marrabel)

(08) 8848 6038 0408 852927www.ulandiparkpolldorsets.com.au

Accredited Brucellosis FreeMN3

- Breeding to Industry Needs -

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Flock No. 3125 Founded 1980

Ulandi Park 178-12Supreme Champion

Interbreed Ram1st Prize Pen of Three Rams2nd Prize Interbreed Lamb

Production Pair Rams2013 Royal Adelaide Show

Sire of 2014 Show Lamb Team

Adelaide Royal Show Poll Dorset Feature Breed 2014Elite Ram Sale - Selling 2 rams

Bendigo Dorset ChampionshipsRam Sale - Selling 3 Rams

Additional Stud Sires available for private selection.

17th Annual On Property Sale

Friday September 26th 2014, 1.30pm

104 Lambplan Performance Tested Rams

Ulandi Park 125-122nd Prize Interbreed Lamb


3rd Prize Pair of Rams2013 Australasian Dorset Championships

Used as a Ram Lamb.First Progeny available this year


The recent Lambex 2014 Conference at the Adelaide Showground was an outstanding success in every way. With over 850 delegates (300 turned away) the program was chock full of relevant and varied information over the 2 main days.

There was an opening the afternoon before involving our Lambassador Sam Kekovich, plus an earlier CRC forum, conference tours, competitions with great prizes and a wonderful dinner on the evening of day two.

Day two’s huge program commenced very early for some with Sheep Genetics and Grasslands Society breakfasts with keynote speakers, before fronting up to a full day of stimulating speakers. Sincere congratulations must be extended to the organising committee who have set a new benchmark of excellence for

such an event. A rundown of speakers and their topics appears on pages 21 to 23. JBS and Thomas Foods donated two tonnes of high quality lamb for the event.

From a Poll Dorset perspective, our Association had a stand in the demonstration and education area next to the conference room. We distributed 500 pens & brochures, plus many entries for our ram voucher competition. 1400 people saw our Facebook posts and we had 80 “likes” on those posts. Overall it was a really great event and successful promotional opportunity.

Pictured here is our stand, set up by the Adelaide Region committee and helpers, which was manned for the 3 days by volunteers. n

Clayton and Andrea Rowett, RSD 33A, Kapunda SA 5373(63 Murray’s Road, Marrabel)

(08) 8848 6038 0408 852927www.ulandiparkpolldorsets.com.au

Accredited Brucellosis FreeMN3

- Breeding to Industry Needs -

SS

ULA

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714

Flock No. 3125 Founded 1980

Ulandi Park 178-12Supreme Champion

Interbreed Ram1st Prize Pen of Three Rams2nd Prize Interbreed Lamb


Sire of 2014 Show Lamb Team

Adelaide Royal Show Poll Dorset Feature Breed 2014Elite Ram Sale - Selling 2 rams

Bendigo Dorset ChampionshipsRam Sale - Selling 3 Rams

Additional Stud Sires available for private selection.

17th Annual On Property Sale

Friday September 26th 2014, 1.30pm

104 Lambplan Performance Tested Rams

Ulandi Park 125-122nd Prize Interbreed Lamb


3rd Prize Pair of Rams2013 Australasian Dorset Championships

Used as a Ram Lamb.First Progeny available this year

Outstanding success in every way

The Australian Poll Dorset Association stand at Lambex.

Adelaide Region President, Lachlan Hart, retired Board member Geoff Poyner and Federal President Alan Schinckel at the Lambex Poll Dorset stand.

Agricultural advocate and Lambex speaker, Trent Loos, Nebraska, USA is pictured with Kate McLachlan, Adelaide region member and stand worker.

Pictured at Lambex were Grant and Carolyn Johnson, Select stud, Peake and Penny Schultz, Field, SA

Australian Poll Dorset Association secretary Tessa Dawes discusses issues with Cameron MacPherson, Myrtle Vale stud, Junee, NSW.


Poll Dorsets excel at Lambex Best Lamb CompetitionAs part of the recent and highly successful Lambex 2014 Conference held at the Adelaide Showground from July 9th to 11th was a quest to identify the most tender, flavoursome and juiciest lamb in Australia; ‘Australia’s Best Lamb’.

This competition was open to lamb producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers. LambEx committee member Nette Fischer said the conference organising committee’s aim was to promote and enhance the pride and skills among all industry sectors.

“LambEx is a celebration of all that is tasty and nutritious about lamb so this conference aimed to capitalise on the popularity of lamb products,” she said.

“We hope this competition increased consumer knowledge of the benefits and variety of lamb products that are available, and hopefully increase sales and profits for producers too.”

Over 60 entries were received from entrants Australia wide in the six categories of differing weight ranges and finishing systems. The six class categories were for both grassfed and grainfed finishing in 3 weight divisions; 18 to 22kg, 22-26kg, and 26kg and above.

Australian Meat Industry Council Executive Director and National Retail Coordinator, and the Lambex competition coordinator, Paul Sandercock said entries were judged by a panel of meat and fine food experts and were scored on:

• Visualappearanceandtextureoftheuncookedproduct(ascorefrom 20 points).

• Juiciness(20points),aroma(10),flavour(20),tenderness(20),and overall liking of the cooked product (10).

All criteria are relevant to the good eating experience. This judging was conducted on July 9th at the Regency TAFE in Adelaide.

The winners were announced at the AWI GrandsLamb dinner at LambEx on Thursday evening, July 10.

The result was a triumph for Poll Dorsets. From six identified Poll Dorset sired entries, the breed came away with three gold medals, two silvers and one bronze!

• Tattykeel,Oberon,NSWachievedagoldmedalinthe18-22kggrainfed lamb class, plus a silver in the 22-26kg grainfed class.

• NewboldDorsets,GawlerRiver,SAreceivedagoldmedalinthe22-26kg grassfed class, plus a bronze in the 18-22kg grassfed class.

• MaloneLamb,Naracoorte,SAreceivedagoldmedalinthe26plus grassfed class, plus a silver in the 22-26kg grassfed class.

Congratulations to these three sheep breeders, who not only achieved personal success, but in doing so also flew the Poll Dorset flag very highly.

Nine gold medals were awarded and six of these were selected as finalists for ‘Australia’s Best Lamb’ award. Of these six, the three Poll Dorset gold medallists were all selected. While the breed did not win the ultimate prize, the Poll Dorset strike rate was by far and away the best in the competition.

The results showed the level of excellence the breed can achieve and its versatility in catering for all weight rages in the lamb industry. It’s not a case of ‘one size fits all’, but rather one breed excels in all categories!

The competition was supported by Elders, Australian Meat Industry Council and tafeSA. n

Will Malone, Malone Lamb, Naracoorte won a gold and silver for his family’s Poll Dorset sired lambs. Will, pictured here was featured in our 2013 September issue.

Judges assessing the entries in the Australia’s Best Lamb competition.


As part of the Poll Dorset promotions at Lambex, there was a ‘Win $500 voucher towards a Poll Dorset ram’ competition. Entrants simply had to fill out their details on an entry form to go in the draw.

We received 105 entries in the competition which was a very good result.

The winner of the LambEx $500 flock ram voucher was Tom Davey from Port Neill SA. He and his father, Brad, run 2000 Merino ewes. Of these 2000 ewes, 500 are used for prime lamb production using Suffolk rams. They haven’t used Poll Dorsets before so were very excited to be given the opportunity to get at least one Poll Dorset ram into their program.

Tom was sent the following information after his winning entry was drawn.

• Letter of congratulations

• Flock ram voucher

• Participating stud lists (Adelaide & Naracoorte/Hamilton regions)

• Terms & conditions of the promotion. n

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