Genetics sold to New Zealand

Australian Sheep Breeders Association president and Tintern farm facilitator Gavin Wall said the buyer, Hugh Taylor, Doughboy Romney stud, run at ‘The Doone’, Kaikoura, New Zealand, was impressed by the stud at the Melbourne Show that year.

“It all started at the show in 2014, Hugh was judging the Romney classes, and he was so taken with our ram Tintern Elmo, that he said he’d like a piece of him,” Mr Wall said.

“We collected semen and sent it over, and Hugh used it on some of his ewes and shared some of it with Ian Smith, Glenleith Romney stud, and they’ve both had good results.”

He said he saw some of Elmo’s progeny when he judged at the Christchurch Show in November last year, and also when he visited again in May this year.

“I saw some of his grandsons, and I was very pleased, they’re showing a lot of promise,” he said.

He said he was particularly impressed by their adaptability to the New Zealand climate.

“Romneys are traditionally recognised as being a breed that thrive in wet conditions, but at Doughboy, it’s deep, scrubby, and even snowy, so the conditions are really tough,” he said.

“But they’re finding that the Romneys are doing really well, and handling the conditions just fine.”

He said he and Mr Taylor have similar breeding objectives, which made the transaction a lot more beneficial.

“Hugh’s ideal Romney and my ideal Romney are the same,” he said.

“We’re not looking for huge sheep, we’re looking for sheep that will grow fast, with a good carcase, good structure, and at least have twins, and be able to rear them.

“Hugh has put a lot of selection pressure on his genetics, and his sheep are thriving.”

Mr Wall said Tintern exchanged Elmo’s genetics, for genetics from some of the top sires at Doughboy.

“We did a genetic exchange, which worked out well for both parties,” he said.

“Before Hugh judged at Melbourne in 2014, I bought semen out of two of his rams, and some of his progeny we will actually show at the Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo this year.

“Then Hugh saw Elmo at Melbourne, and as a part of the exchange we received semen from his top sire, who passed on phenomenal carcase and growth traits, he’s been really exciting.”

He said a half-share in Elmo was sold to Francis and Sally Henty-Anderson, Merino Downs Romney stud, Casterton, earlier this year.

“We didn’t have to sell the share, but it was better that he went to another property because we’d been using him as a back-up ram for a couple of years,” he said.

“He would have just been sitting in the back paddock this year not being used, it would have been a waste.

“They bought a half-share for $1100, and he was probably worth more than that, but we were just happy for him to go to a good Romney stud, you can’t put a price on that.”

He said while they don’t actively market their rams for sale, and don’t plan to in the near future, putting their name out there in the ways that they have has worked in their favour so far.

“You can’t plan on things like that happening, but if you put yourself out there, and present good sheep, which the students do, opportunities like this arise,” he said.

“I had a Romney breeder from America visit us not long ago, and they also saw Elmo, and he ended up on the front-page of one of their magazines over there.

“It’s what I try and instill in the students, always present yourselves well, because you don’t know who’s looking.”

He said shows are a good avenue for this.

“By going to shows, the breed and the stud becomes known, and the students are highly regarded by stud sheep breeders because of this,” he said.

“It’s a massive priority for us.”