Niche markets for non-mulesed and ethically produced wool have been achieved by a Riverina family after a switch to the Dohne breed.
Tom and Sophie Holt run a sheep, cattle and irrigated cropping enterprise at Urana and Jerilderie and have ticked the boxes with knitwear manufacturers with their Dohne wool.
Their high volume clip, from a flock of 32,000 sheep, has been snapped up by Australian and New Zealand companies producing pure wool travel and leisure garments.
Woollen apparel made from Dohne fleece has been supplied to the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces and the Victorian Police. Wool from the Holt family’s Coonong Station clip has also been used by Qantas for company uniforms.
Mr Holt said demand for ethically produced wool was strong from Japan, New Zealand and China.
He said manufacturer feedback had indicated Dohne wool spun well due to a high comfort factor.
Garments made from Coonong wool will be on display at the Station during a stop over on the 2016 Dohne Global Conference tour on Tuesday, July 19.
Visitors will be able to inspect 4500 unclassed maiden ewes and Dohne sires and enjoy an Argentinian style lunch.
Tom and Sophie run 32,000 Dohne and Dohne cross sheep, including 13,000 breeding ewes averaging 19.9 micron and cutting an average of 4.5kg.
Set in a 424mm rainfall zone, the 26,720 ha aggregation consists of Coonong, at Urana and Coolbaroo at Jerilderie.
The sheep graze natural pastures of curly windmill grass, hairy panic, wallaby grass, winter ryegrass and wild oats.
The move to Dohnes has been a commercial and financial success, with a lift in fertility and carcass weight and a reduced fibre diameter on bright, white wool.
A long-standing Merino breeder, Mr Holt first ventured into Dohne seedstock genetics in 2001 and by 2003 had realized the commercial attributes of the breed outweighed his Merino flock.
The family invested in 100 Dohne rams from Western Australia in 2003 with an 18-year strategy of changing the entire flock to purebred Dohne.
They started with a base Merino ewe flock of 21 micron cutting 6kg and with a lambing percentage of 94-96.
“We wanted uncomplicated sheep with good conformation – that was paramount – and no problems with their pasterns,’’ Mr Holt said.
“Wool wasn’t the focus but they had to have a white, bright crimp.
“We worked out early on it is not what the Dohne can make, but what it can save you.
“They are non selective feeders so are not sitting on the sweet spot the whole time.’’
The natural foraging ability meant the ewes coped well on the plains country and pregnancy toxemia problems were eliminated.
Mr Holt has been impressed with the Dohne’s fertility, mothering ability and lamb survival rates.
Conception and lamb marking rates have ranged from 100 to 130 per cent in both maiden and adult ewes.
“We are tweaking double joining - as soon as the ewes start lambing the rams go back in so you can have 120 per cent lambs and five months later, another 80 per cent,’’ Mr Holt said.
When it comes to marketing lambs, the family uses a mix of physical auctions and over-the-hooks to clear 70 decks of 11-13 month old weaners.
“Over the past 18 months we have used Bendigo saleyards, achieving an average of $130-$140 (plus a wool value of $23.25),’’ Mr Holt said.
The heavy end averaged 60kg liveweight at fat score three, the mediums 54kg and the lighter end 40kg.
The lambs are weaned at five months of age, September shorn, and rotationally grazed on stubbles, cropping and pasture paddocks to control weeds.
Heavyweight lambs are then grain finished for 30 days under a drought management program, while light and medium weights are supplementary fed over 60-120 days.
Rams are now sourced with a weighted focus of 60 per cent carcass and 40 per cent wool.
There is no emphasis on increasing fleece weight while the fibre diameter is being tweaked.
“The wool quality is very good with most of our wool pre-sold – yields are down a fraction but tensile strength and comfort factor are good,’’ Mr Holt said.
“Last year we had one of the best wool clips I’ve seen for 20 years.’’
The maiden ewes are classed on structure and a minimum joining liveweight of 48kg.
Ewes under 48kg are joined to White Suffolks for a prime lamb operation at Coolbaroo, Jerilderie.
Once the flock reaches purebred status, the aim is to join maiden ewes at 7-8 months by using grain supplementation to raise bodyweights to over 48kg.
“At 48kg, conception rates will be about 80 per cent and 100 per cent at 50kg,’’ Mr Holt said.
“If I didn’t like Dohnes, I wouldn’t have them – we are not scared to push the boundaries.
“They are a hellishly good range sheep.’’
