AT Ioness Poll Merino stud, principal Rob Coutts strives to breed Poll Merino rams that punch out soft, white wool while also producing a square sound framed ram.
He was driven to start the stud when he couldn’t find Poll Merino rams that combined the productivity traits he wanted and would suit the pastures and conditions around Lake Bolac.
So he founded the stud in 2002 and registered it just over a year later.
While the stud was founded on traditional superfine wool with rams of Merryville bloodlines from Kooringa, for the past 15 years Mr Coutts has purchased sires to move to a more modern, dual-purpose type of sheep.
This year, 50 young rams will again be available for private selection on property.
All of the rams are “100 per cent paddock raised”.
Mr Coutts said they have grazed pastures, being supplemented with export pellets, beans and oats.
Having rams thrive under commercial conditions is paramount to Mr Coutts and his growing client base.
“I need to select the rams I use based on how they and their progeny perform under commercial conditions,” Mr Coutts said.
At Ioness Poll, select rams are joined naturally to the 230 stud ewes.
“We don’t do AI or ET work, we prefer that the rams can perform on their own,” he said.
Today, the 2400 commercial ewes run on the property have been bred with Ioness Poll genetics.
A recent purchase of a sire was the top-priced One Oak ram at Sheepvention in Hamilton.
Mr Coutts said the May 2016-drop 17-micron, Poll Merino ram was well-balanced with a terrific well-nourished wool, and suitable for both wool and meat production.
Last year, a Kedelston Park ram was also added to the Ioness Poll stables.
This young sire had also impressed Mr Coutts when he saw it on display at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo.
And his progeny are equally impressive.
Some of his three month old progeny will be on display at the upcoming Southern Victorian Merino Field Day.
By October, the rams will be fifteen months old and are predicted to hit the 100kg mark, with the plain body and quality fine wool for which Mr Coutts breeds.