WETHER TRIAL

ANFD / SCHUTE BELL MERINO WETHER COMPARISON TRIAL

The aim of the trial is to demonstrate the productivity of Merino sheep flocks under commercial conditions.

Twenty-seven participants entered teams of 10 wethers randomly selected from their flocks to run as one trial mob, with 25 teams shorn at nine months in June and the remaining at the 12 month interval in September.

The trial will run from 2015 to 2018, with nine month and 12 month wether teams measured for fleece weight, fibre diameter, wool value and assessed meat value.

The aim is to give a net value of production for each team, comparing the nine and 12 month shearing results within each team and between each entrant, along with providing a comparison within bloodlines.

At the shearing intervals, individual fleeces are skirted and weighed (greasy fleece weight) and given a type classification, this information is then used to calculate an average price from the previous week’s wool market on a clean wool basis.

Mark Byrnes Shute Bell report

ANFD 2018 Media Report

 

Seasons

 

3 very different years  .    Yr 1   record wet year with associated health , wool, and nutritional issues

 

                                              Yr 2  terrific carry over drying off feed from previous year going to a dry cold tableland winter and late spring flush.  A good merino year with the sheep doing very well

 

                                              Yr 3  dry drought year with a hard winter, the field day site fared better than a lot of areas and got the wethers through in mainly a good average 2 score condition

 

 

Wool Cut Summary  .       9 month shearing generally ahead with 3 teams in  the dual trial cutting more in the 12 month group. These were more traditional length for micron

 

 

                                       Overall averages on clean weight basic              12 month      127.7 kg/team

 

                                                                                                                           9 month      135.4 kg/team

 

Gross Margin Summary. 12 month shearing ahead on gross margin basis

 

 

 

                                             Overall Gross Margin                                       12 month      $ 1772.24/team

 

                                                                                                                            9 month      $ 1759.96/team

 

Top 7 Team results.          12 month

 

                                                               C Spittle                        Grogansworth         

 

                                                               GM Sharpless                Charinga                        $ 2228

 

                                                               A.   O,Keefe                    Bungoona                     $ 2177

 

                                                               Jw & AJ Caldwell           Yarrawonga                  $ 2000

 

                                                               GJ  Sunderland              Darriwell                       $ 1969

 

                                                               Rockdale Grazing          Egelabra                        $ 1965

 

                                                               WattleGrove P/Shp      Langdene                      $ 1960

 

                                             9 month

 

                                                              GM Sharpless                 Charinga                        $ 2308

 

                                                              Wattle Grove                  Langdene                      $ 2206

 

     A.      O’Keefe                    Bungoona                      $ 2121

 

     GJ Sunderland                Darriwell                        $ 2092

 

     PT & KC Walker              Woolaroo                      $ 2038

 

    Grogansworth Past       Grogansworth               $ 1958

 

    WJ & JA Caldwell           Greenland                      $ 1902

 

#  All these top end teams had the combination of heavy wool cuts for micron, very good style and handle

 

#  Of note is the extent of the range of gross margins over the whole trial group, from top to bottom.

 

# Bloodlines that have bred overlong fleece wools for the market in the 12 month group have attracted discounts of between 80c and up to250c depending on micron. This has greatly affect ted the GM for those teams in the 12 month group.

 

# The 9 mth shearing has seen no discount for length as most teams have been in the right length for micron. There were no sub 70 mm wools in this 9 month shearing to attract the shorter wool discounts which are in play in this current market.

 

# For people shearing at 6/7 mths with wools in the 50/70 mm length you would be looking at discounts of 150/300 c depending on micron

 

# The Gross Margin on these shorter wools would be significantly less , but we have not been able to measure that IN THIS TRIAL.

 

 

Brett Douglas - ANFD Sheep Chairman

 

 Samples of fleeces from each shearing for all teams and the results will be displayed at this years Australian National Field Days from the 25/27 October and staff will be available for consultation regarding the Trial.

Australian National Field Days

563 Borenore Rd, Borenore NSW 2800

P: 02 6362 1588
F: 02 6362 5421
E: info@anfd.com.au

DAYS TO GO

Day
Hour
Minute
Second