Aussie White herding instinct ideal at Marrar

One prime lamb producer is Pat McCrohon who manages the 120ha property Maefair at Marrar for Sydney-based interests Burnett Pastoral Trust.

He said the breed was an ideal enterprise on the property which is also the home of a Murray Grey stud.

"Obviously we don't have a woolshed, so not having to shear the sheep is a big plus for us," he said.

"And they are very easy to handle when mustering or working them through the yards.

"They are very trainable and remember the gates they have been through."

Now joining around 120 ewes, the first draft was purchased by Guy Burnett, principal of the Burnett Pastoral Trust in 2017.

"We decided to diversify the farm and purchase Aussie Whites to mix with our Murray Grey beef cattle production for the same simple reason, that they were Australia's own breed," Mr Burnett said.

"And our aim for the breed is to supply a good quality eating lamb along with quality seed stock to local and interstate producers to further advance the breed."

Seeing an opportunity to get into the breed before it became very popular, he selected ewes from the Tattykeel and Baringa Australian White studs at Oberon.

"He got in early before the boom and sourced his ewes from some of the original breeders," Mr McCrohon said.

"He also bought ten stud ewes and a stud ram from Tattykeel."

Although the intention was not to form a stud, Mr McCrohon said they have sold thirty flock rams this season to local lamb producers.

"We have also sold surplus ewes across the Riverina and in the Nyngan district," he said.

"As the demand grows for Australian White ewes, we can see the prices will only get better."

The fertility of the breed is a major selling point, and with maiden ewes joined at seven months, Mr McCrohon said he is happy to have one lamb per ewe as they lamb three times in two years.

"They are so fertile, they just multiply, and we are marking around 120 percent over the flock," he said.

"We do get a lot of twins so I think that is a reasonable lambing percentage across the mixed age flock.

"We put the rams in at lambmarking and take them out at weaning.

"It is just so easy, it isn't complicated."

Another breed trait Mr McCrohon pointed to was their herding instinct.

"It is interesting to see them all run together when you go into the paddock," he said.

"It makes them a lot easier to handle but also limits the fox problem a bit as the mob is very protective."

Maintaining condition on the ewes is not a problem, as they are grazing on Lucerne-based pastures.

"We have to be careful they don't get too fat," Mr McCrohon said.

"But it is a good problem to have."

Recent sales of wether lambs through the saleyards at Wagga Wagga have realised in the $180-$220 range with tops being sold for $230.

"We also have a consistent outlet for our surplus ewes and selling them for $450," Mr McCrohon said.

"The last three sales of ewes have gone to a repeat buyer in the Riverina.

"I can see the breed becoming more popular, especially for people with small farms who haven't got the facilities or the experience with handling sheep. The demand for meat will only increase where the demand for wool is at a low level now."