Seamour update - 01. October 2001
Seamour workshop and ram sale will be held on Thursday October 18th, as announced in the April Update. This day will provide lots of information in the morning and some high producing rams will be available in the afternoon.
Sheep Selection for Wool and Meat"How do I get the best out of my sheep flock?" Australian experts will provide the answers in the morning Workshop.
Dr Raul Ponzoni, Principal Research Scientist SARDI, will outline findings from the SA Selection Demonstration Flocks and the Fibre Meat Plus flock.
Dr Alex Ball, Manager of LAMBPLAN and Merino Genetic Services, will tell us how to breed for the 21st century. EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values) are a key to success. Find out what they are and how to use them.
Brian Ashton, Senior Livestock Advisor PIRSA, will present the results of some of the Better Breeding ram evaluations conducted on Eyre Peninsula and the opportunities they provide.
Dr Raul Ponzoni, Principal Research Scientist SARDI, will outline findings from the SA Selection Demonstration Flocks and the Fibre Meat Plus flock.Dr Alex Ball, Manager of LAMBPLAN and Merino Genetic Services, will tell us how to breed for the 21st century. EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values) are a key to success. Find out what they are and how to use them. Brian Ashton, Senior Livestock Advisor PIRSA, will present the results of some of the Better Breeding ram evaluations conducted on Eyre Peninsula and the opportunities they provide. Pat on the BackHorry Richardson has sold some of his weaners for a good price. They made $47 net with most sold over the hooks and some of the ewes being sold to graziers at that price.
Lambs were shorn in June. Nine bales of 18.4 micron wool was sold in August for
1000 cents per kg. The wool returned $28 per sheep after costs. The "in the pocket" return of $75 per sheep compares favorably with most prime lambs sold at that time. Horry is pleased with the outcome as the weaners had not received any supplementary feed and had been run on wheat stubbles at 10 to the hectare.
The Seamour rams' wool was sold for 830 cents. The wool was 18.2 microns and 36 newtons/ktex.
These results show that Seamour bred sheep are real dual-purpose merinos.
Lambs were shorn in June. Nine bales of 18.4 micron wool was sold in August for
1000 cents per kg. The wool returned $28 per sheep after costs. The "in the pocket" return of $75 per sheep compares favorably with most prime lambs sold at that time. Horry is pleased with the outcome as the weaners had not received any supplementary feed and had been run on wheat stubbles at 10 to the hectare.
The Seamour rams' wool was sold for 830 cents. The wool was 18.2 microns and 36 newtons/ktex.
These results show that Seamour bred sheep are real dual-purpose merinos.
The Day's ProgramThe day's program will commence with registration at 9.30 am. The FarmBis funded Workshop will cost only $10 for each family business. Lunch will be provided to all Workshop participants.
Bring your own outside chair (named).
The Workshop will be held in the Seamour shearing shed off Stokes Road, Tumby Bay. Contact numbers are given at the end of the Update if more directions are required.
An exercise, led by Brian Ashton, in fibre diameter appraisal will be conducted as part of the workshop.
After the workshop has concluded the annual Seamour ram sale will be held.
40 quality rams will be sold by Helmsman auction, starting at 2.30 pm.
The Workshop will be held in the Seamour shearing shed off Stokes Road, Tumby Bay. Contact numbers are given at the end of the Update if more directions are required.
An exercise, led by Brian Ashton, in fibre diameter appraisal will be conducted as part of the workshop.
After the workshop has concluded the annual Seamour ram sale will be held.
40 quality rams will be sold by Helmsman auction, starting at 2.30 pm.
The Helmsman Buying SystemThe Helmsman system combines the best features of the auction and private sale systems and does away with most of the disadvantages.
The Rams
- Prospective buyers register before the start of the sale and receive a buyer number.
- Rams will be on display by lot number.
- A large sale board will be located in the shed.
- To submit a bid, buyers fill in a bidding card and pass it to the selling agent. The bid will be recorded by entering the buyer number and bid value in the appropriate lot column on the sale board.
- Rams are sold simultaneously. Buyers considering the purchase of a number of rams may bid on all rams of their choice and have the advantage of knowing where each of their bids stands at all times. There is no pressure on the buyer to make an instant decision on any of the rams catalogued.
- Bid movements on the board will be announced by the selling agent so that buyers will be kept informed at all times.
- The selling agent will announce that the sale will conclude in a specified period. Any further bid, during that period will result in a 2 minute extension of selling time, taken from the moment the bid is placed. Any more bids would trigger the same process until a full 2 minute no bid period is reached to signify the end of sale.
The Helmsman buying system is new to most of us but appears to be a fair and unhurried selling system. I trust the buyers will appreciate the method.
The RamsMerinotech and Seamour bred sheep have an ability to survive better than most stud bred sheep. This statement is hard to justify but anecdotal evidence and a high weaning rate support this view. At a field day at Turretfield research Centre Dr Alex Ball said in his presentation, "An extra benefit of getting records for the "meat" traits is that there is good research data showing that sheep bred to be well-muscled (not excessively) will also survive tough conditions well."
We are measuring and selecting for better muscled rams on Seamour. This has an advantage for farmers producing heavy lambs or selling ewes to prime lamb producers. However the pastoral producers also have the advantage of getting sheep that will also survive tough conditions well.
Fibre diameter will remain the main focus of selection at Seamour. A lower micron will give the greatest improvement in dollar return to the sheep enterprise.
The fibre diameter has come down by half a micron during the past three years. My aim is "to reduce fibre diameter by two microns in the next five years". Mating systems have changed and some very low micron rams have/will be introduced by AI.
Looking forward to seeing you on the 18th.
We are measuring and selecting for better muscled rams on Seamour. This has an advantage for farmers producing heavy lambs or selling ewes to prime lamb producers. However the pastoral producers also have the advantage of getting sheep that will also survive tough conditions well.
Fibre diameter will remain the main focus of selection at Seamour. A lower micron will give the greatest improvement in dollar return to the sheep enterprise.
The fibre diameter has come down by half a micron during the past three years. My aim is "to reduce fibre diameter by two microns in the next five years". Mating systems have changed and some very low micron rams have/will be introduced by AI.
Looking forward to seeing you on the 18th.
Bill Richardson
Seamour Stud
Phone/FAX (08) 8688 2291
PO Box 43, Tumby Bay, SA 5605
billrich@ozemail.com.au
Seamour Stud
Phone/FAX (08) 8688 2291
PO Box 43, Tumby Bay, SA 5605
billrich@ozemail.com.au
