Rockford set for mega shearing

Although getting through this many head before October (when lambing starts) could be viewed by many as a formidable task, the central Tasmanian producer looks forward to this time of year.

"It's seven weeks of uninterrupted shearing; we do about 2800 a week in a good run," Mr Reardon said.

"I like it, because it's nice to see how good the clip is. It should be a good cut this year, but we never really have those bad years."

He is a traditional woolgrower, running about 7000 ewes on what he describes as country "perfectly suited" to the fibre.

About 5800 wethers are kept on, as well as 4500 hoggets.

"We are in wool-growing country here, not cropping," Mr Reardon said. "We have a lot of native pasture country and it just pays to keep the wethers on."

At a time when many Tasmanian farmers are diversifying into a myriad of different crops, he realises the importance of sticking to what he knows best and doing it well.

He has the option of installing irrigation from the Shannon River which runs through his farm but said it wasn't his "cup to tea".

"I'm a grazier," Mr Reardon said.

Apart from income derived from wool, lambs and wethers, he has a soft spot for cattle, running about 300 head of Hereford cows. But the pillar of the farming operation has always been sheep.

The second-generation producer has been working full-time on the family farm since he was 18 and now runs the property, Rockford, with his sons Tim, 22, and Nicholas, 24.

Before he returned to the farm, Mr Reardon's parents, Hedley and Margaret, had been running Polwarths but had begun to make the shift to Merinos.

"There was just more money in Merinos," Mr Reardon said.

Over the years, a big focus has been placed on improving pasture and expanding the operation, which has grown by 1865 hectares to 5463ha.

"I've purchased a lot of land over time," he said. "It was a no-brainer for me when the neighbouring property was for sale."

Not only was he able to increase flock numbers but the move also allowed his sons to come back to the farm.

"Since the late 1990s, I've probably gone from cutting 300 bales a year to 500 bales," Mr Reardon said.

Today, the breeding program starts on May 1, when the rams are put out with the ewes.

Lambing occurs after shearing in October, which is late by Tasmanian standards.

"We have snow country behind us so I really try to avoid that colder weather when lambing," he said.

Rockford's bloodlines have changed over the years, with genetics including Okehampton and Leenavale.

Mr Reardon said these genetics had helped to reduce the micron and "fine up" the flock.

"We probably went from 19.5-20 micron down to 18-18.5M," he said.

"Now I want to keep that micron and wool cut but lift the frame size and lambing percentage."

That change happened about 10 years ago, and since then his operation has also introduced Roseville Park bloodlines.

Two Bundaleer rams have been purchased on the broader end to help with size.

The family's main aim is to produce elite, fine wool on a larger-framed, heavy-cutting and productive sheep.

"It's a real balancing act," Mr Reardon said, adding that he individually matched stud ewes to rams to achieve his goal.

At the moment, grown sheep cut an average of six kilograms and the hoggets 4.5kg.

"I'm pretty happy with that but I am always trying to improve," he said. "The minute you think you are there, then you are going backwards."

The effort to improve his sheep was rewarded publicly last year when a Rockford entry nabbed the grand champion fleece title at Tasmania's Campbell Town Show for the first time – an accolade Mr Reardon admitted made him proud.

About 7000 Merino ewes are run on-farm, comprising 300 stud ewes, 1000 ewes that are joined to White Suffolk rams and 5700 ewe run in age groups.

Lambing percentages in the adult ewes has reached about 100 per cent, while the maiden ewes achieve 80pc.

About 4500 ewe and wether wool hoggets are managed, with the surplus sometimes sold on as breeders in March.

"We also sell the hoggets to Tasmanian Quality Meats, but if we get a heap of rain, we might keep the ewes," he said.

About 5800 wethers are run, with most sold when they hit five-years-old.

"They go to slaughter, and we often sell them to Ararat Meats on the mainland. They like my sheep and they pay good money," Mr Reardon said.

The wool clip is sold through Roberts at the Melbourne auctions.

"I quite often sell in February…that's when I've had the best results," he said. "But it's all about timing."

Last February, the clip made from 930-1010 cents a kilogram.

While fine wool prices have been taking a hit recently, Mr Reardon said livestock prices have helped to keep cash flowing in.

"I have a lot of options, because I sell wethers and hoggets," he said.

"It gives me the freedom to wait for when wool prices kick up a bit, so I can be more flexible."

Although there was no point holding onto stock in a drought, the fact that he was never stocked to the maximum helped his situation.

"I've reached a point in the past two to three years, where I don't have to sell my wool straight away, so in a way I'm not a price taker," he added.

"It's been a challenge to get to this point, but I am still working at getting better."

In the future he hopes to keep improving his pasture, as it will enable a higher carrying capacity.

"I also think animal health is extremely important for profitability," Mr Reardon said.

"Stressed stock don't make money."