Peter Westblade Memorial Merino Challenge - 2011

Merino bloodlines committed to performance testing and genetic evaluation have again dominated Australia’s largest single site evaluation of commercial Merino genetics.

Hazeldean client Tony Hill, has emerged from the first shearing and meat valuation of the Peter Westblade Memorial Merino Challenge, to be the outright winner in terms of wool and meat value.

 This is a significant win and demonstrates Hazeldean’s long term commitment to measured profitability in our breeding program and how this translates into extra dollars returned to our clients.

The Peter Westblade Memorial Merino Challenge commenced in April 2010 with a total of 1500 wethers. This challenge has 50 teams of 30 wethers and represents some of the most progressive woolgrowers and influential Merino bloodlines in Australia.

Honouring the late Peter Westblade, a true visionary, epitomising compassion and devotion to a cause who passed away in late 2008, the Merino Challenge is a continuation of the Merino genetic information gathered from the highly successful Craig Wilson Livestock Wether Trials run at Wagga Wagga, Warren, Alectown and Taralga.

All entrants are from commercial operations and include some of Australia’s largest woolgrowers; the challenge has seen half of every team allocated to the Meat Challenge, which had been lot fed and processed at Fletcher International Exports in August 2010.

Shearing of the Wool Challenge sheep occurred over two days on the 7th and 8th of April, having been run together at the Temora Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, for the previous 12 months.

NSW Industries and Investment sheep and wool officers are an integral part of the challenge overseeing all of the tens of thousands of measurements and processing the data.

The gains seen in price for both wool and sheep meat have only exemplified the role of genetics has in making profits.

Sheep and Wool officer Sally Martin said the variation between and within teams shows the opportunities that are available.

Looking at the five year average price there is a variation between $18 and $23 for wool and meat respectively. However the current market widens the gap between teams to over $40 difference for both wool and meat.

Merino genetic consultant and co convener of the Merino Challenge Craig Wilson said the main aim of the challenge is to fully evaluate the entrants flock genetics for wool and meat traits.

“The results from the challenge have confirmed that Merino genetics can deliver very high profit margins for both wool and meat. The high performance teams show that wool growing can outperform other land uses in terms of profit per hectare, with very little risk.”

Mr Wilson said that on current prices, the highest wool value team had generated a gross income of $1720 per hectare. The brothers of these sheep had also performed very well in the Meat Challenge displaying excellent bodies of lamb. The teams that have performed well have a strong track history of performance at other trials in different environments.

“This is the fourth time, some of these teams have now been involved and their relative merit becomes very predictable. It also shows the protocols of the evaluation are robust and consistant.”

“We are not comparing the average of the merino industry, the reality is you wouldn’t enter sheep in Australia’s largest trial if you thought your flock’s genetics where uncompetitive”.
“The package offered by quality merino genetics, has now proven beyond any doubt its capacity to produce superior quality fibre and meat protein.”

Co-conveynor of the trial Marty Moses of Moses and Son Woolbrokers said, knowing the relative merits of your Merino genetics must be of the highest importance. This type of objective information is vital for Merino breeders and the industry as a whole in maximising their profit.

“Genetics are the one thing that you have direct control over and this clearly has a large impact on your profitability. To have over 250 people attend the shearing and having several groups of young people involved was fantastic”

 FULL RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.