FINE wool Merinos are an important part of the mix at Peter and Lia Blacket’s “Mallee Slopes”, Wynarka, South Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
While cropping is the main enterprise, with about 2400 hectares sown annually, the flock of 2400 Merino ewes is a vital part of the business.
Mr Blacket said his enthusiasm for elite wool came from his father, Geoff, who was passionate about producing quality wool.
“My family has run sheep here since 1913,” Mr Blacket said.
“We’ve always had Merinos and I think we’ll probably be looking at increasing numbers slightly in the future because there is less risk there than cropping.
“The long-term future of wool and sheep prices is also looking good.”
For the past 12 years, Mr Blacket has concentrated on reducing micron while retaining frame size with the introduction of several fine wool sires from Victorian and SA studs such as Sohnic, Wallaloo Park, Glealea Park, Ridgway Advance, Ridgway, Superior Wool Merinos and Lucernebrae.
While average micron at “Mallee Slopes” was about 23 in 1999, it now stands at 19.4-micron – an impressive drop in just more than a decade.
Mr Blacket’s ultimate aim is to have an average flock micron of 18.
“We have had some young ewes cut 15.8-micron in the past,” he said.
“The best wool usually comes from the smaller sheep but I want to try and get the micron lower while maintaining sheep size.
“I try to keep this balance by working closely with my classer, Bill Walker.”
Mr Blacket said Mr Walker divided sheep into several categories when classing – wool ewes, flat-frame ewes, tight ewes and cull ewes.
“The cull rate is actually quite low at about 12 to 15 per cent,” Mr Blacket said.
“A tight ewe usually has exceptionally good wool but carries body wrinkle. They are culled but sometimes correctively mated.
“These are then matched to rams depending on type. This has resulted in about 60pc of the flock being wool ewes, 20pc flat-frame ewes and the remaining percentage being tight and cull ewes.
“Most years, tight ewes are culled.”
In order to access high-quality genetics, the Blackets have been members of the Superior Wool Syndicate for the past 10 years.
The syndicate has 13 members from across SA, both commercial members and studs, who pool their money in order to buy quality rams.
Previous purchases include a $39,000 Glenlea Park ram bought at the Classings Classic ram sale, and Leahcim 123.
“It’s a way I can access the best genetics at the best price,” Mr Blacket said.
“We’ve had some crackers through the syndicate. The Leachcim ram had a lot of influence in my flock, along with many others.”
He said all members had to invest initially in the first purchase, but subsequent semen sales from bought rams meant the syndicate was “almost self-funding”.
The syndicate also allows the Blackets to breed their own ram lambs to use in their flock.
“We select our best ewes and then artificially inseminate (AI) them with syndicate rams so we can keep our ram lambs to use as replacement sires,” Mr Blacket said.
“This means there is a much lower cost to replace rams.”
During the past 12 years, Mr Blacket has used AI eight times, and believes the money he has invested in the practice has been worth it.
“You only need to produce 15 elite ram lambs from 300 ewes and it’s paid for itself,” he said.
