Science of Merino: Challara Polls bred for resilience

The Wilkinson family, of Challara Poll Merino stud at Badgingarra, encourages all Merino producers to be resilient during a time of challenging market conditions. Challara stud principal Peter Wilkinson said producers may need to give special attention to well-measured sheep with a reasonable structure and sound genetic background. “At Challara, our breeding objective aims to drive producer’s profitability by breeding an animal that has high early growth with good fertility and provides a marketable soft rolling type fleece,” he said. Mr Wilkinson said Challara had invested in a top performance Baderloo PP sire (220265) with a semen share purchase of the $14,000 ram at last year’s Classing Classic Sale in Murray Bridge, South Australia. The ram, sired by Leahcim 202503, measured 18.7micron, SD 3.5, CV 19.4, YWT 8.1, YCFW 18.2, YSL 20.4, YEMD 2.0, YFAT 0.7, YFD -0.6, and with an MP+ index of 153 and DP+ index of 170. Mr Wilkinson said homebred sire Challara 200274 was being observed in the 2023-drop Muresk Superior Sire Evaluation and progeny of this ram would be available at the stud’s on-property ram sale scheduled for September 12. “This season has had some challenging conditions, the key for best quality lambs is to get them growing early,” he said. “This will ensure producers remain profitable with their investment in genetics that are based on early maturity and suit the environment of their farm.” He said extensive increased DNA genomic testing on all rams was part of the breeding strategy which was giving a great confidence boost to the accuracy of the selection process. Mr Wilkinson said Challara produced an easy-care animal on plain bodies with a wool type able to handle wet conditions and preferred by the shearing industry. The stud’s progression of producing plain-body types has ventured into non-mulesed sheep that are resistant to being fly struck. “We lamb-down early to take advantage of the growing season and the lambs finish on spec to be sold to local abattoirs without a reliance on the export industry, but we continue to support that option for a strong industry in WA,” he said. “Our key clients are also selling into the local abattoir market, which is a validation on how well Challara genetics are working. “This year, Challara ewes achieved a 95 per cent lambing, as well as several hundred ewe lambs that were mated at eight months of age.” The Challara Ram Sale, conducted by Elders, will offer 80 rams this year with local agent Greg Wootton offering his services to interested ram buyers.