- RELATED: Breeding own FX ewes for security
Jim and Peter Parkman, prefer to breed their own first-cross ewes, because it reduces the chance of introducing health risks to their family operation, “Orizaba”, between Young and Murringo.
The traditional Border Leicester/Merino cross continues to be the favoured choice of the brothers, because of its acceptance as a superior dam for second-cross prime lambs.
“We want a dam to produce good prime lambs,’’ Peter Parkman said. “The Border Leicester/Merino cross has been tried and proven over many years … it is a popular cross, and the second-cross is the best prime lamb.”
In partnership with their wives, Jane and Leanne, respectively, the brothers are the fourth generation to run sheep on the 1400ha property, and with their sons, Charlie and Dom, the property is assured of being carried into the fifth generation.
“We are concentrating on sheep, because the country lends itself more to stock than cropping, Jim Parkman said. “We used to be focused on Merino’s, but through the 1990’s, with falling returns due to stockpile buildup, we changed to breeding first-cross ewes as we needed an alternative and the demand for meat looked to be increasing.”
It was a management decision which the brothers don’t regret, as Jim Parkman said it appears demand for red meat has a confident future.
Diversifying into prime lamb production has spread the business risk, with income streams from wool, Merino and prime lambs, surplus first-cross ewes, and CFA Merino and first-cross ewes all contributing to the business cash-flow.
The ewes are scanned and dry ewes are given one more chance the following year; otherwise the main lambing occurs during July/August.
“It is mainly because we are trying to lamb with a green wedge of feed in front of the ewes, and also to get the lambs to a good weight before the feed cuts out by the end of spring,” Jim Parkman said.
“The wether portion of the Border Leicester merino cross is sold through AuctionsPlus in December: we don’t try to take them through to heavy weights, but are more interested in presenting top store lambs for restockers.”
The surplus ewe portion are taken through to weights of 45kg plus and also offered through AuctionsPlus. “We get strong inquiry for them, and often repeat buyers: they are ready for a restocker who would be keen to join them straight away.”
Current market conditions mean the Parkman family can manage their operation with increasing confidence. “I think the market is going well, but it would be nice to see these prices carry on for a few years,” Jim Parkman said.
