Larry and Helen Yeo are rebuilding a dual-purpose sheep production system based solely on Merinos after emerging from prolonged drought on their property at Gollan, near Dubbo.
Having traditionally run a 50:50 split of Merinos and crossbred sheep, they expect comparable returns from concentrating on purebred Merinos for wool and wether sales.
Before the 2016-17 and 2018-19 droughts set in, the Yeos had 750 Merino ewes mated to Merino rams from Allendale Merino stud, and 750 Border Leicester/Merino-cross ewes, joined to Poll Dorset rams.
They have now quit the crossbreds and are gradually expanding Merino numbers from the current base flock of 850 older ewes and 250 maidens that will have their first mating as two-year-olds.
Mr Yeo said they aimed to get flock numbers back to 1300-head of pure Merinos in the medium-term, which was about the maximum stocking rate for the property.
He said the returns from quality fleece wool, combined with two clips shorn from young Merino wethers prior to sale as heavy lambs should mean a Merino-only system would stack up well against the returns from producing prime crossbred lambs and broader crossbred wools.
Key production parameters
The Yeos shear Merino wethers when wool fibre length reaches about 40 to 55 millimetres, which is typically about every six months.
Wether wool cuts average about three kilograms per head at each shearing, with an average fibre diameter of 17- to 18-micron, for a return of about $50 a head.
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"The strategy is to get two shearings out of the wethers, then put them on a finishing ration - using self-feeders in the paddock - before selling them as lambs," Mr Yeo said.
"They have been fetching about $150 to 180/head when they get to the saleyards at 14 months of age and at average weights of about 50kg per head.
"With the wool income, this delivers a gross margin per hectare that is very similar to our previous crossbred prime lamb system.
"But the enterprise is easier for us to manage. This is important as we set ourselves up for semi-retirement in the not too distant future."
Maternal matters
Mr Yeo said to optimise productivity, and help fast-track the flock rebuild, the breeding emphasis was on ewe fertility, wool quality, growth and frame.
He said the Allendale Merino stud was located nearby and this boosted their confidence that purchased rams would consistently perform in local conditions.
Ewe conception rates are consistently higher than 90pc and they produce about 6kg/head of wool that has an average fibre diameter of 20- to 21-miron.
"This puts our ewe clip in the centre of micron spreads in the market, and we tend to get fairly consistent returns at auction over the long-term," Mr Yeo said.
"Medium wool production suits our environment and climate, and we don't want to push that trait too much finer.
"We want robust, fertile sheep with big frames to hang a quality fleece that is a bright, white, traditional Merino-type."
On the ground
The Yeos have been renewing pastures and planting improved fodder species, including lucerne, grasses, phalaris and clovers.
They sow about 50ha of dual-purpose oats each year for winter grazing and grain recovery for stock feed.
"We ensure our ewes are in good condition and we rotationally graze up until lambing, when they are put in sheltered paddocks that have been spelled to boost feed availability," Mr Yeo said.
"Most paddocks are split into areas of 20ha to 30ha and each can carry 200 to 300 head in a rotation system."
