Issue 4
April 2002
GRACEFIELD NEWSLETTER
Hello to you all and I hope this finds you all fit and well.I must apologise for my tardiness with this issue and will try to get you up to date with what has been happening at Gracefield.
We have had many, many visitors in the last six months from all over Australia and overseas. Our thanks to the 14 South African Meat Merino Stud breeders who visited us in September and in particular to Mr Jan Hartman and his son, Gerhard Hartman and Stud master, Mr Neville Thompson.It was very exciting to see their progeny from imported genetics at Gracefield.
Ron and Ruth MacPherson from Old Junee came over to our Ram Sale last October and spent 10 days with us.Thanks to Ron for judging at Katanning Agricultural Show and look forward to him doing the judging once again this year.To our Eastern States clients that don't know Ron and Ruth, they are our daughter stud in NSW and have rams available for sale this year.The MacPhersons may be contacted on02 69241533.Ron and Ruth tell us the sheep are looking "tops".
Our first Ram Sale in October last yearleft us dumbfounded and lost for words! We never expected such a terrific result and we thank everyone who attended, and were successful in purchasing rams and those who bidded and unfortunately missed out. Everything we made from the Sale, we have put back into embryo transfers and we have succeeded in transplanting 700 embryos to yield 550 pregnancies. Hopefully, this will enable us to meet demand and cheapen the price of rams in the near future.
This year's sale will be held onThursday, 24 October and hopefully the aim is to pen 70 rams.Included in this offering will be new genetics imported by the Stud. Progeny from Jan van Bijon 5254 South African National Champion Ram in 1998, will be released in Australia for the first time.
Gracefield genetics are well travelledthis year, both in Eastern and Western Australia. We wish all clients the very best in their purchases and hope we can make a positive contribution to their breeding programmes.
Our clients have reported tremendous results with their lambs this year, sold both as suckers and carryover lambs.The weights have been exceptional, particularly for age and the lambs have been sort after by both trade and export works.Congratulations to all our clients, with most gaining from $75 to $100 for their lambs this year in WA.
Congratulations to:
- Don and Sandy O'Donnell for the excellent entries in the WA Lamb Carcase competition and excellent results over the hook for their lambs.
- David and Dianne Hooper for excellent lamb sale results at auction.
- Brian and Val Garlick & Sons for $91 average on hook at WAMMCO.
I must mention to you that the first cross SAMM ewe, in my opinion is the most profitable sheep you can have in your paddock, given the current market scenario.You lose very little in wool cut and quality,you get an exceptional lamb and good percentages.Dollar per hectare return, they take a lot of stacking.
Rob Davidson, Agriculture WA recently released trials on the wool attributes of SAMM cross ewes over the 3 year trial at Pingelly are quite interesting.Lambing numbers sold and price of carcase should show excellent profit lines.All trial information can be viewed on our website at www.gracefield.com.au
These sheep continue to impress me and my enthusiasm towards the breed as a major contributor to Australian sheep genetics has been rewarding.The biggest kick is the positive feedback we are getting from you, our clients.The outlook is better than I have ever seen in my lifetime and I can't see it changing in a hurry.Keep up the good work!
Gracefield SAMM
PO Box 726
Katanning WA 6317
Phone: 08 9821 2181 Fax: 08 9821 4240
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