Profitable sheep farms open book

One of the first Merino open days of the season will take place next Friday, July 16, at the Wilkinson family’s Challara Poll Merino stud at Badgingarra.

Stud principal Peter Wilkinson said there would be several different topics ranging from sheep reproduction, intermuscular fat, whole body energy, regenerative farming and the value of shearing twice a year.

“We believe these topics will be of interest to visitors and will contribute greatly to the industry,” he said. “I am quite passionate about sheep breeding and we do a lot of testing at Challara using the latest technology.

“We specifically like to compare our top rams nationally through the Australian Merino Superior Sires sire evaluation program.”

Mr Wilkinson said he had been muscle scanning the stud’s rams since 2005.

“Good muscle depth is a sign of early maturity which is one of our breeding objectives,” he said.

“We are pleased with our genetic progress and from the great beginning of this season, we have had a wonderful autumn lambing.”

The day’s speakers include Murdoch University animal science Associate Professor Andrew Thompson, Murdoch University Associate Professor Graham Gardner, NSW sheep producer Jim Gordon, HI-Tech Ag Solutions agronomist Luke Freeman and Australian Wool Network WA wool manager Greg Tilbrook.

Dr Thompson will present the facts and myths about fat and its influence on key profit drivers of sheep enterprises.

“I will discuss how selecting sheep for extra fat can improve resilience, reproduction and potentially stocking rate,” he said.

The Challara Open Day-Workshop is from 9.15am to 3pm at 821 Koonah Road, Badgingarra, and is fully catered all day.