SHIFTING from wether wool production to a self-replacing Merino flock will allow the Rolfe family to meet multiple markets.
Stephen and Joanne Rolfe and Andrew and Zoe Rolfe have been running 14,000 wethers at Kenilworth, between Nimmitabel and Dalgety, but this year they've joined Hazeldean and Greendale-blood ewes to Hazeldean rams.
The low wool market was the biggest influence in the decision to change direction.
"Running all wethers was profitable when the wool market was up but Merino wethers were getting dear," Andrew Rolfe said.
The family has about 6000 ewes, but aims to reach 8000 over the next few years, once seasons improve.
"We've had a really tough season, with only a small autumn break which was the perfect time for joining, but we're still feeding every day and we have sheep on agistment as well," Mr Rolfe said.
"We were very lucky to have bought commercial ewes from Hazeldean and Greendale.
"When we were buying wethers we used wether trial data and selected on type, and we've used a lot of different lines over the years, but the Hazeldean and Greendale sheep have been the most profitable for us.
"They grew the most wool and they fit our climate."
The wethers were cutting seven to eight kilograms at 15- to 16-micron.
"We'll still do an eight-month shearing, with a goal of 7kg at 17- to 18-micron."
Rams have been selected based on their performance on the Fibre Production Plus index, along with wool cut, yearling greasy fleece weight, micron and structure.
Ewes are due to lamb in September, and they've had good scanning results, with 145 per cent in the older ewes and 138pc in the maidens.
"Wool is still very much the focus at the moment," Mr Rolfe said.
"Obviously things are pretty ordinary with the market but it suits our system and our country, and we'll still be able to produce a pretty decent lamb at the back end.
"All wether lambs will be sold unless it's a really big season."
Wool is still very much the focus at the moment. Obviously things are pretty ordinary with the market but it suits our system and our country, and we'll still be able to produce a pretty decent lamb at the back end.
- Woolgrower Andrew Rolfe, Kenilworth
Breeding will give the Rolfes more market options.
Two-thirds of the flock will be joined to Merino rams, with the rest joined to Poll Dorset and White Suffolk sires.
"I'll try to finish all crossbreds except the White Suffolk ewe lambs, depending on the season, and we'll join those ewe lambs to get numbers up," Mr Rolfe said.
The sheep are run on predominantly lucerne pastures, with about 60pc of the country improved.
"We grow lucerne because we have a summer dominant rainfall and it helps manage the lovegrass problem.
"We'll be weaning lambs and finishing them on improved pastures, and we'll cut silage if we can to fill the storage after drought."
For the Rolfes, the drought, along with the drop in wool prices, has given them the opportunity to reassess their wool production.
They've started the new flock with a focus on performance, introducing new technology to help them record and analyse data.
"We have EID (electronic identification) tags in the ewe lambs, and we'll be recording weaning weight, fleece weights, mid-side samples, and scanning and lambing data throughout their lifetime," Mr Rolfe said.
"We won't be mulesing, and we'll also mark them down for wool as well as a way to manage flystrike issue.
"It's an opportunity for us to get some good data which can help us make decisions about selection and classing."