IN 2013 the Blanch family had a decision to make – expand and transform, or get out of the Merino industry.
So Paul and Jilly Blanch, Brightling Park Poll Merinos, Bathurst, NSW, made three important changes to their operation.
They moved their elite superfine ewe flock towards a dual purpose Merino sheep, purchased an additional property at Cumnock, and started their stud operation.
"Our real love was superfine wool, but it was becoming unprofitable," Mr Blanch said.
"We had beautiful superfine sheep, but the genetics had moved on, and when we inspected the Coddington Poll sheep (Graham Coddington, Yeoval), we decided that was the direction to go in if we were to stay in the industry."
Ms Blanch, a passionate woolclasser with a love of superfine wool, said dual purpose sheep were the way of future, which meant a Poll Merino with a focus on productivity rather than micron.
"Dohne genetics and traditional Merinos meant in a first-cross you had rapid genetic gain of carcase traits and it was still easy to put good wool on that sheep," Mr Blanch said.
"We have maintained a good wool cut with a well-defined crimp fibre that still makes us proud seeing the fleeces on the table, and produced a quick maturing sheep with good muscle and fat on a long, deep and broad body, clear face and long soft muzzle."
The 500 stud ewes now run alongside a 7500 head commercial flock, cutting five kilograms of 18.5 micron each year, and the Blanchs aim to turn off Brightling Poll Merino wethers as prime lambs.
This has become possible with the purchase of more land at Cumnock, NSW, and the new emphasis on carcase and growth.
"The new property means we have spread the geographic risk, and we move sheep according to where the grass is," Mr Blanch said.
"We can sell wether lambs into the fat market before they cut their teeth, after shearing them at 10 months old – it is just one of the commercial benefits of the new direction."
Another improvement has been an easier to manage polled flock, Ms Blanch said, on a base that hadn't been mulesed for more than 10 years.
"We have been selecting and breeding for natural resistance to flystrike – anything that gets body strike is culled, and the remainder can be managed with shearing and crutching quite easily," Ms Blanch said.
Investment in genetics is obvious in both the stud sheep and commercial profits, and the Blanchs will hold their first on-farm ram sale at Brightling Park in October.
"We are doing something we didn't think we would be doing at this age – we got into the stud game at 60, rather than at 30 – but it keeps us moving," Ms Blanch said.
"We knew it would be a lean period until we were established – it is difficult to start from scratch when there are so many rams out there for sale."
No cost has been spared at Brightling Park on injecting superior genetics into their flock, predominately based on Coddington Poll blood.
Genetics from Alfoxton Merinos, Armidale, NSW, and Southrose, Tintinara, South Australia, (now dispersed), have also been used in the growth of the stud, and a selection of the best Brightling Park superfine ewes still remain in the flock.
"Starting the stud has been a learning curve, it is complex because there is so many good rams out there, but Graham Coddington (Coddington Poll) could see dual purpose as the future," Mr Blanch said.
"And Southrose was the most progressive Merino stud seen anywhere in Australia and the Ashbys were the most innovative Merino breeders I've ever met, in terms of using such diverse sires.
"We are constantly looking for other genetics to breed superior qualities thereby improving productivity and profitability for Merino wool and meat producers."
This year's line of stud rams to be offered for sale are by two Coddington Uardry sires, including Coddington Eclipse, purchased in 2013 from Australian Sheep & Wool Show (ASWS), Bendigo, at $28,000.
Other stud sires currently in use include Alfoxton "Alf", purchased at the Southrose dispersal and Coddington Poll "Agar", purchased from the ASWS at $20,000 and cut 14kg of 17.5 micron wool.
The Blanchs will attend the ASWS at Bendigo for the second time in July.
