Issue 6
August 2003
GRACEFIELD NEWSLETTER
Good day to you all and hope this finds you in good health and high spirit.There is a lot to tell you about, some of it quite important.
Firstly, I have slowed down with the buying, my new portfolio is looking after direct clients and auction buying at Katanning.It feels like we just stepped off a Concorde and onto a bicycle. For the record, Chris tells me over 8 million sheep purchased over 16 years and still going. It will give me more time to focus on more important matters such as SAMMs.
Now, remember me saying F1 SAMM ewes stack up well?The Narrogin Trial results for F1 SAMM, F1 Dohne and Merino returned impressive results. F1 SAMM ewes returned $16.41 per head better. F1 Dohne $85.59 per head, Merino $88.37 and F1 SAMM $102.20. NOT BAD!
Important to note that as of 2002 drops all purebred SAMMs with full pedigree records will have a red society disk tag in their ear.This will give buyer confidence and ensure that lesser grade rams are not promoted as pure.All purebred sheep are registered through Society with Australian Breeding Research Institute (ABRI) New England, NSW with full pedigree records.
Congratulations to Will Ball and Vince Garreffa for spreading the word about the eating qualities of SAMM lamb.For the past 12 monthslambshave found their way into most restaurants in Western and Eastern Australia, functions in Tasmania, Singapore and Malaysia.Watch this space, it may take a year or two but results have been outstanding.
Note:The 2003 SAMM Journal has been published and clients should be able to pick up a copy at stud fixtures and field days.
Good luck to the Jensen family at Pingarring who will be holding their inaugural sale in October.Peter can be contacted on 98 668053.
Our friends Ron and Ruth MacPherson of Rosemere SAMM, Junee have rams available and can be contacted on 02 69241533.
It seems that in certain areas some of the stud breeders who have purchased ETs from us are achieving extraordinary weights. Please back these off as 55-57 kg at 100 days is too heavy and you will lose these in the pasterns.
Congratulations to Dr Rob Davidson on the birth of their daughter, Samantha. We wish all the family the very best.
Cheers to the Picker family for winning Supreme Interbreeds Group at Dubbo this year. Enormous effort for the breed!
Congratulations to Vince Bloink and his family for holding up the Gracefield end, winning 5 ribbons, including champion 1yo ram and champion pair of rams at the same show.
This year's Gracefield Sale on 23rd October should see us pen 10011/2 YO Rams. These scanned well and average micron of 23.03 with a comfort factor of 95.18.What was very encouraging was the top 10 meat ranked animals averaged 22.25 micron with 96.98 comfort factor. Depending on the season we should also have ram lambs and some ewes penned.
Given that it is a slow process and it takes years to make a significant difference (that's if all goes right), my hunch is that the SAMM is going to evolve into a very good animal. The signs are all there. We can increase muscling, grow soft, free-growing wools and most importantly get depth and uniformity into the breed.
Gracefield SAMM
PO Box 726
Katanning WA 6317
Phone: 08 9821 2181 Fax: 08 9821 4240
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