A CALM, placid first-cross lamb is a priority for Richard and Linda Brangwin.
So using White Suffolk rams over their Merino ewes has paid off in dividends.
The Brangwins, “Evergreen”, Condobolin, run a purebred Merino ewe flock, putting their breeders to both Merino and White Suffolk rams, enjoying maintaining a wool enterprise as well as producing prime lamb.
The family property “Ruby Park” was bought by Mr Brangwin’s father in 1954, who was a butcher in Sydney. After spending time on farms and getting his wool classing certificate, he bought the property near Condobolin.
Mr Brangwin went into partnership with his parents, and then in 2007 he and Mrs Brangwin and their son David went into partnership.
Today they own 4500 hectares, where they run 1500 Merino ewes, which are joined to Merino rams to breed their own replacement ewes. They also run another 800 Merino ewes, which are joined to about 15 White Suffolk rams to produce prime lambs.
“The production of Merino wool is still our main interest,” Mrs Brangwin said. “But prime lambs are very lucrative and help to keep the farm running.”
She said they buy their rams at two years old, and then put them onto a crop of oats or a lucerne mix.
“Our aim is to keep them still growing,” she said. “To us, the important thing is to keep taking care of them.”
Their ewes are joined in November, and Mrs Brangwin said joining at the end of spring means the lambs have better feed to grow on
“You’ve got to work with the country and climate you have,” she said.
Their ewes are shorn in mid-July to August, while lambs are weaned by the end of August and shorn before the grass seed falls.
“They seem to do better,” she said. “It’s about finding what is best for you.”
The Brangwins also put in about 2000ha of wheat, oats, barley and lucerne.
The best of their purebred Merino wethers are sold at a breeders sale at Condobolin in September, while the rest are sold through the saleyards often after Christmas. Their excess ewes are classed and are often joined to the White Suffolk rams. The cross-bred lambs are sold at the Forbes saleyards, with the heaviest group going about mid-December.