Paddock Sales and Events

Since our last Calga Newsletter we have all had to endure some very difficult times with what some have touted and certainly the media, as the one hundred year drought.

Last year Calga received 12.3 inches, not really a bad year. Our driest year on record was 1957 with only 7.5 inches recorded, although my father recalls that there was grass two feet high half way along the road to Coonamble and it wasn’t really that bad because it was preceded and followed by very good seasons in subsequent years. 1965 seems to be imbedded in most of the older generations minds around here as the worst time that they had to go through.  Back then of course, there weren’t the supplies of fodder and transport and more importantly good markets through the drought period that we have enjoyed in more recent tough times. Interestingly in 1965 Calga received 12.5 inches of rain the same as 2006.

Our sheep went through the last year with very little difficulty having only to be supplementary fed through May for approximately 4 weeks on oats and old seed wheat. We were able to not feed through the first 4 weeks of lambing which I think helped us achieve a reasonable lambing result of 84 % in a pretty tough season. There is no doubt in my mind now that Dohne lambs have a much greater doing ability and survival ability than our Merinos in the past. The lambs now are jumping ahead in leaps and bounds since the season has improved and really don’t look drought affected at all . A great testament to these South African sheep that were developed in similar harsh conditions to be able to cope with the good and the bad. And it is pleasing to see our F3 lambs significantly bigger and heavier than their F2 counterparts.

I am not sure what to make of AWEX decision to brand all Wool from Dohne sheep ‘DOHNE’. I have to say that It smells like our friends from Merino Stud Breeders Assoc have had their noses in our business and are trying to muddy the waters as much as they can when it comes to Dohnes.

There is no doubt in my mind that our Dohne wool is better than the majority of Western Merino wool that I handled when I worked in the wool stores in Footscray in the early 1980s.

I have no doubt that this will be turned in to a positive when the wool buyers are able to see the difference especially in the regard to the lack of dark fibre in our pure Dohne wool.

We have over the past 2 years bought two rams from the Uardry Production Sale, both rams being the top price paid at auction. Uardry is a good unique blood line for Calga to fuse with a as they are a different strain of Dohne from South Africa than the Macquarie bloodline that we are based on. UD040840 progeny in the last 100 day assessment that I did put against MD030681 progeny who is the best sire that I have used equaled the 681 progeny on body weight. The 100 day weight is what we are looking for here to enable us to get our lambs to market straight off their  mothers as suckers in the Spring. It has always been my opinion this is by far the best result to get rid of them as quick as you can. So on this basis I am happy with 840 performance so far.

At this years sale we won’t have as many rams penned for sale as previous years due to a ET program not going to plan which has caused lower production this year. I hope to have though over 60 good rams with high indexes available for sale on the 20th  of September 2007.

I would like to thank all old and new clients for their support over the last few years. It is interesting to note that although Calga has some of the best genetics available our rams are much more affordable than the equivalent animals from other studs. I am pleased with this as it is my objective to get these animals out with my client’s ewes at an affordable price. And we will continue to produce superior animals and meet the market.

Charlie Beck– Uralla - Coonamble NSW
"I’m happy with the rams. We had a good percentage rate of lambing 95% - in a severe drought too. The rams are good, plain long body with bright wool. They seem to have no trouble lambing and recover quickly after. My first progeny of wether lambs made $20 more than the merinos.”

Malcolm Webb  - ‘Miagunyah’ - Warrumbungles NSW
The 2006 Spring lambing achieved 106% from Merino Ewes crossed with Dohne Rams. 25% of ewes were maiden 1st X Dohnes. We found the Merino and Dohnes both had similar fleece weights (4.2kg) at 10mths but the Dohne wool had a longer staple and was valued 20c per kg above the merino.

The 2006 Dohne and Merino lambs were run in an oats crop with no grain supplement. The Dohnes were sold to Country Fresh for $86.00 and the Merinos to Fletcher's for $45.00 The Dohnes were 3 kg heavier, but the main difference was the price per kg. The butchers will not pay a premium for merinos due to their poorer dressing %. 

Phillip Clarke - Bin Bin Station - Kingston SA
After first using the rams with our merino ewes, we noticed immediately the lambs were stronger than the straight merinos with very similar wool.

Last year the second cross ewes were obvious by the fullness of the rump with no wool differentiation.  They came through the drought a lot better than the straight merinos of similar age. We will keep using Dohnes to achieve purebreds.  We can get good money for the wool and better money for the lambs.

Gooriannawa Station - Baradine NSW
” are extremely pleased with the growth of their F1 lambs and their ‘doing’ ability. Gooriannawa Station has achieved 100% lambing this year.”

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Calga Shearing

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Production Sale Event Photos 2006