A passion for breeding sheep saw Kevin Beaton set up the Kevlyn stud, Coojar, in 1982 - that interest has more recently seen him pivot out of horn, to polled, Merinos.
Mr Beaton said he was intending to bring a team of between four and five fine-wool Poll Merino rams, to this year's Australian Sheep & Wool Show.
"I started the stud in 1982, I just had a passion for breeding sheep - you don't start these things without having a passion for them, that's for sure, Mr Beaton.
"Given the history of the wool industry, over the years since then, if you are still there you have to have a passion for it."
Mr Beaton said he and wife Lynne join 350 stud ewes a commercial flock of 600 commercial females and ran about 600 wethers on the 242 hectare property.
"We have changed our direction a bit, when we first started we were very much an ultra-fine.superfine stud with horned sheep," he said.
"We are now breeding polls, more of an all-purpose shep, you have to have an animal that can adapt to different functions, within the industry.
"You can direct your focus, at different times, to different areas."
He said while Kevlyn sought to keep under 18 micron wool, '17.5 micron would be ideal.
"We like a nicely balanced sheep, that has got a good carcase and bit of shape in their butt-end," he said.
"We want well-structured animals.
"We think we are producing a sheep that can suit quite a large area - we are in fairly wet district where we are, we have to good white wools and nourishment in our sheep, which are able to handle a bit of water."
The ASWS offered the opportunity to compare and benchmark rams against other breeders, who were running similar types of sheep.
"You are always on the lookout for something that might improve your own genetics," he said.
The stud started to shift from horned Merinos to polls in 2017 and Mr Beaton said he and son Jack bought cast-for-age ewes from Terrick West, Prairie, and Ridgway Advance. Bordertown, SA.
"We have been breeding within our own flock, with our own sires, to try and settle down on a type."
A Terrick West AI program was backed up by Pendarra, Benambra, Glenlea Park, Pinaroo, SA and Mount Yulong, Telangatuk East genetics.
He said there were a 'couple of reasons' behind switching out to polls.
"Their fertility is better, protein is required to grow the horns and they are able to put that into their body a bit better and they are a little bit better as an early maturing sheep."
Mr Beaton said it was possible the horned stud would be deregistered, in the future.
He said most buyers of his stud rams were from the western districts.
"When you change your direction a little bit you are starting to build a new client base, that takes time," he said.
"We sold about 30-plus rams, last year, so we are pretty pleased with the process we are making.'
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
