Rainbows Rest SheepMaster offers clean skin option

Walkaway-based Rainbows Rest SheepMaster stud is set to offer an outstanding line-up of rams and ewes at the Mid-West SheepMaster Auction to take place on October 7 at the Carnamah Ram Shed commencing at 1pm.

Studmaster Geoff Crabb said the selections of 50 rams and 70 ewes were looking very productive as Rainbows Rest enters its fifth year as a clean skin seed stock enterprise.

The stud operates as a three-way partnership between Geoff Crabb, Des Reed and Tristan Reed.

The trio set the standard when they secured stud sire Monarch for a national breed record price of $90,000 at last year’s National SheepMaster Ram Sale.

This outstanding example of the breed, with its curve bending traits, will be on display at the Carnamah sale.

Rainbows Rest will be offering yellow tag ewes with an option to run with Monarch.

Mr Crabb said sheep producers who were always under the pump with busy schedules would be ideal candidates to become SheepMaster commercial producers.

“Mixed farmers with full cropping programs that recognise the importance of sheep production would do well running clean skin sheep that are ease of management,” he said.

He said SheepMasters did not require mulesing, crutching or shearing and were not suspect to being fly-blown.

“Since we established the stud, we have purchased rams from the SheepMaster parent stud based near Albany,” Mr Crabb said.

“The partners all agreed, these clean skin types are very uncomplicated, easy care and fast growing for the purpose of breeding a pure self-replacing flock with the sole goal of quality sheepmeat production.”

Elders WA stud stock shedding sheep specialist Andrew Hodgson said SheepMaster breeders have addressed some of the perceived temperament and confinement issues within the shedding breeds.

“The progressive SheepMaster breed does not present these problems for management,” he said.

“There are now plenty of large-scale commercial SheepMaster enterprises that are breeding true to type.

“With labour and time constraints and concerns about the market, SheepMaster breeders can capitalise on the sheepmeat industry as Australia continues to lead the world in capacity to export.

“I encourage all those interested in setting a date for the Carnamah sale and getting a first-hand look at these clean skin sheep.”