Giffard farm's top Merino results

Glancing across his Giffard property, he takes a break to tell tales of its past; of how his family once bred horses for the British Army in India.

His property is situated down McGauran's Beach Road, with the name giving away just a little of the family's long-standing history in the region – Mr Boland's grandmother was a McGauran, who were among the first to settle at Giffard.

His ancestors migrated from the County of Cavan in Ireland – hence the farm's name, Cavandale.

Today, the primary producer says the soldier horses have long moved on – but in their place Mr Boland has developed a viable Merino sheep business, which focuses equally on wool, meat and wethers.

The flexibility between those three elements allows the business to react effectively to unpredictable markets and seasons.

Over the past 20 years, he has worked hard to improve the pastures and in turn increase the farm's stocking capacity.

"We used to run 3000 grown sheep, but we've increased that to 6000," he said.

Keeping up to date with the latest pasture releases had been essential to the property's pasture renovation program, according to Mr Boland, who manages the 870-hectare property with his partner Julieanne Peavey.

"I have an agronomist and I try to apply lime to 100ha, plus 100ha of copper every year, with the balance getting superphosphate," he said.

This practice was alternated each year to improve soil quality and manage a copper deficiency which is common throughout coastal regions.

The drought saw Mr Boland's pastures struggle, but with some wetter seasons kicking in, he said clover growth had been amazing.

Ryegrass and clover were the two dominant pastures on the property, with sheep rotationally grazed throughout the year.

"We do a four-paddock rotation, which is roughly around three weeks at the moment, but it depends on growth," he said.

However, lambing was undertaken in set-stocked mobs throughout May and June.

"Autumn lambing isn't traditional around here, but it's something we've always done," Mr Boland said.

"Being coastal it can dry offvery quickly and I worry the weaned lambs won't have enough weight to carry them through summer."

The flock averages a lambing percentage of 90, with weaning in September at 30-35 kilograms.

The lambs are fed pellets as well as some lucerne hay after weaning until they are 10 months.

"I prefer to feed out pellets rather than grain, because it's a good protein source and you don't get any waste," Mr Boland said.

Joining starts on December 1, with bloodlines used from the Woodpark Poll stud, NSW.

Mr Boland prefers poll sires.

"I find polls are easier to manage – and I really go for animals that are less wrinkly," he said.

Grown sheep are shorn in August, followed by lambs in October.

The flocks' wool has become much finer over the years.

"Originally, we would have averaged 21.5 micron, but that's come down to 19M," he said.

Depending on the market, the clip is sold as soon as possible.

"If the market is down, we'll offload the oddments and filter out the rest over the season."

Another change since Mr Boland has taken over the family farm has been income.

For the past 10 years, 2000 ewes have been run on a separate 405ha property in a partnership with Mr Boland's wool classer Steve Harrison, who runs a Merino operation down the road.

"We'll take over the young cull ewes and cast-for-age types and join them to Border Leicester rams," he explained.

Mr Boland said the additional enterprise had offered another income stream, as well as allowing more flexibility with his own Merino business.

He is considering options for the coming season.

"I have to decide what to do next," he said. "I need to make room for the ewe weaners, and I've culled 150 older ewes to take to the prime lamb property."

Wethers were another valuable income stream.

"We normally sell one mob, which are the oldest, plus 50pc of the young wether lambs, to the boat, local market or over-the-hooks," he said.

The meat side of the operation had helped to lift margins, because when it came to wool, farmers were largely price-takers.

Back on the farm, Mr Boland said it was important to adjust to the season as it unfolded.

"As a farmer I do have a lot of flexibility – I decide when I want to sell my sheep, who I sell them to and when I sell my wool," he said.

That decision depended on what was offering the best money.

"We are very dependent on the world market and I think more research needs to be done in terms of marketing," he said.

"The biggest problem was the industry never wanted to blend; they're doing it now, though, and I hope it makes a difference."