Rams shape up despite hard season
THE 13th Bellevue Dorper and White Dorper Ram Sale will be held on Saturday, September 15, on property at Bellevue, in Millmerran.
“We are very pleased with this year’s draft of rams and how they are presenting, given the challenging season,” stud principal David Curtis said.
“The emphasis we place on selecting for structural soundness and balance, combined with our objective use of Lambplan data, has created a solid platform for genetic gain in our rams with each new generation.
“Success at carcass competitions, with our top yield of 56.4 per cent, demonstrates that our strict selection criteria is heading in the right direction for prime lamb producers who purchase Bellevue rams.”
Entering commercial prime dorper lambs in the 2017 Warwick Show and Rodeo Society’s Lamb Carcass Competition held at Carey Bros abattoir, Yangan, Bellevue’s highest yielding prime lamb was
56.4 per cent. Bellevue’s Champion Single Lamb yielded 55.7 per cent. Ribbons were also awarded to Bellevue for first, second and third Single Prime Lamb, and second in the Pen of Three Prime Lambs, average yield 55.5 per cent. All were in the 42–46kg live weight category.
“Our region on the Darling Downs has been drought declared for the past three years, and while our cropping operation has struggled, our dorper stud and commercial prime lamb operation continues to deliver a consistent return,” Mr Curtis said.
“It is nice to have a breed that has the ability to thrive during tough, dry conditions on your team. By far the majority of our ram buyers are from pastoral/western areas with big acres and challenging conditions.
“They need to know that the rams they invest in will perform well for their enterprise in their environment.”
Mr Curtis said running an intensive livestock and cropping enterprise means a need to keep management tight.
“EIDs are used in all 3000 ewes, stud and commercial. We work around strict joining dates, limited to 35 days, followed by preg scanning 40 days following ram removal from the joining group,” he said.
“Birth tagging and weighing stud lambs is a massive job here, as we tag within the first 12 hours following birth.
“By doing this we are able to accurately monitor birth weight, mothering ability and identify which ewe owns which lamb/s before any opportunity for stealing and swapping of lambs can occur.”
Mr Curtis said an accredited Lambplan assessor tests all stud lambs for fat and eye muscle depth.
“Maintaining positive fat is important to us, as the dorper breed is a maternal breed, and having enough fat is an important trait for pregnancy, milking, mothering and do-ability, especially when conditions are dry,” he said.
“Because we have accurate birth dates, Lambplan can then accurately assess all of these measured traits based on the age in days of the lamb, and the number in birth (single/twin/triplet) and bring these animals back mathematically to a level playing field.
“We can then present to our commercial clients a full selection matrix based on visual assessment, performance recording and objective Lambplan data.
“This information allows the Bellevue ram buyer, on the day of our ram sale, to have enough information on their desktop to make valuable selection decisions based on their particular breeding objectives and environment.”
Biosecurity at Bellevue is critical to its ongoing success. Maintaining a clean, healthy flock, free of disease, is a priority for the operation.
Landmark, with an AuctionsPlus interface, will conduct Bellevue’s 13th on-property ram sale. Whether prime lamb producers are, or are not in the market to purchase rams, the Bellevue team extends an invitation to join them on sale day. Come and have a day out, a chat with fellow lamb producers, a chop, and have a look at some fine rams. To find out more, visit Bellevue Dorpers on Facebook or www.bellevue dorpers.com.au.
❝ They need to know that the rams they invest in will perform well for their enterprise in their environment. — David Curtis