Australian Whites thriving at Gulargambone

But that's not a problem for Neil Haling, who has his Dorper-cross production set up so he can make the best of changing markets.

Mr Haling and his wife Bindi, Cambooya, Gulargambone, have been crossing Australian White rams with their Dorper flock, and are producing a lamb that can be slotted into the best market at the time.

The Halings have been running Dorpers for years after first seeing them at the Dubbo sales.

"I just saw how meaty they were," Mr Haling said. "I liked the look of them. They do really well out here. Our country is flat as a tack and they don't have to walk far for water. With ewes, I want a medium, meaty animal. They don't have to be a huge animal."

After running 300 Boondarra-blood Dorper ewes and trading wethers, they have built their breeder numbers since the drought and now have just under 1100 ewes.

When Australian Whites came along, Mr Haling said they were the obvious next step, and started using the rams three years ago.

"It is a really good cross," he said. "There's nothing wrong with the straight Dorper. They are a good sheep, and they've got their place. I just loved the hybrid vigour of the cross. The cross finished really quickly. You can sell them early as suckers or keep them."

"You don't have many problems with flies. There might occasionally be one. And there's no shearing or crutching."

In fact, the former shearer has been so impressed with the performance of the Australian White, he is planning to eventually change the whole flock over to the breed.

He has been buying his rams from Robert and Leanne Endacott, Red Hill Australian Whites, Wongarbon, for two years.

"They are good, big sold rams," he said. "They have good conformation. I don't want huge rams - I just want a good backside and a solid ram. Their rams suit me fine."

The Australian White rams go into the flock in mid-October to begin lambing mid-March.

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This year Mr Haling has only just taken the rams out.

"It means you get two lambs out a year, and we've been getting lots of twins and even some triplets."

Usually the wether portion is sold as suckers at Dubbo, between four and eight months old. Meanwhile the surplus ewe lambs are sold on AuctionsPlus.

Mr Haling sells his lambs when they reach more than 40 kilograms. But he is adamant about one thing.

"They have to be properly finished," he said. "It doesn't matter how big they are, they have to be properly finished. Sometimes they will be 38kg or they might have to be 50kg to be finished."

One of the best things about the Halings' production is there isn't a rigid set-up as far as markets, allowing them to change when and where to sell their sheep depending on the season and market prices.

And the Australian White-cross fits perfectly into this.

"We basically just pick and choose which markets are best," he said. "We don't get too worked up about it."

Accommodating for changing seasons and markets has also flowed into the Halings' other enterprises.

They run 70 steers and 45 cows of mixed breeds, but with a majority of Hereford, as well as Merino and crossbred flocks on another property.

"We have a foot in both camps," Mr Haling said. "We sometimes bring animals back here to finish them. But I haven't had to feed grain in 18 months."

Mr Haling sows around 250 hectares of wheat with some undersown to lucerne and clover, and also a small crop of oats. When it comes to sowing lurcerne, Mr Haling likes a good mix of pastures with it, including clover and rye grass.

"I don't like lucerne too thick. It needs variety in with it. Lucerne is a good plant, but not only it all the time."