NEWS
(choose and click your reading preference above)
We can arrange delivery anywhere for example to Central NSW
or
A trial conducted at Kirra South
“Maiden Merino/ Finn cross ewes mated to a
A Quote from a Survey of users producing 1st X lambs using Finn Sires
"we sold approximately 160 Finn/Merino wether
lambs at the same time we were marketing the standard 1 st
cross wethers (BL/M). The Finn cross were almost a
month younger and the carcase weights were almost identical
to the BL lambs. They were definitely leaner. The Finn cross carcases stood out against the BL sired carcases
because they were very smoothly skinned. The muscle pattern and finishing
ability of the Finn cross is quite satisfactory. Slightly more length of leg in
the carcase but there were no deductions for the Finn
cross in comparison with the BL sired first cross lambs."
2005 again saw exports, this year of embryos to
We have now successfully developed long wool Finns with fleece lengths (@ one
year old) of up to one foot (30 cm) at @25 micron or less with thin, soft
rolling skins (SRS) and typically able to raise triplets and quads. These
genetics continue to be eagerly sought by the Merino industry in
(click
to read on and learn more)
The Maternal Central Progeny Test continues to produce evidence of the
superiority of Finnsheep as crosses and the vital
importance of chosing Maternal Sires for fecundity in
enhancing the profitability of the prime Lamb business. For example,
"there was a difference of $42 per ewe between the top ram (Finn 22 @
$127.20 per annum) and the bottom ram (Border Leicester 32 @ $84.70 per
annum)." (Dynamic Dams p6 18th March 2003.
"This would result in a difference of $210 per ewe joined over the
lifetime of 5 joinings...A maternal sire produces
approximately 100 ewes (and 100 wethers) in his
lifetime, so the difference between using the top and bottom sire...would be
$21,100 and this doesn't take into account the income from wether
progeny."
(click to read on and learn more)
(click
to get all the statistics and more)
We have recently hosted a Finnsheep breeder from
The protracted drought (now in its eighth year in our district (Central Gippsland,
(click
to read on and learn more)
Again we have sold a bulk order of Finn ewes and rams to a consortium who are to produce over one thousand pure Finn embryos this
year. The demand for Finn genetics has now become so strong that this (Embryo
Transplant) is practically the only method available to breeders wishing to
access large numbers of pure Finns.
There are a number of our clients who are employing other breeders to perform
contract joining (usually Finns to Merinos) to produce enough Finncrosses for their (and others') needs.
Last year we made some four-titted Finn-Merinos (using Keri Keri genetics).
These promise greater fertility, size and milking, superior wool and soft
rolling skins. The SRS group has assisted us with selection and advice greatly
in this project. We envisage further improvement in our Finns in time from this
project. In the meantime Merino breeders who might envisage obtaining improved
fertility, milking, longer wool and better skins could think about using such a
Finn-Merino over their flocks. Unfortunately it is unlikely that there will be
many rams available this year (pre-ordered) but clients could order now for
next year's drop and we will produce them on demand.
Ken Pattison of Boort
reports an
improvement of 70% in
his prime lamb production using our genetics. Well done, Ken.
2001: Cowra Research station reports Finn-Merinos raising
162% lambs as compared
with best all other breed Merino crosses @ 128%!
2001: Beacon Prime Lamb Producers Western Australia (a Meat and Livestock
Australia PIRD research project undertaken by Dr Fred Wilkinson) report hogget
Finn-Merinos raising 160%! Compare these results for productivity and
profitability with your normal prime lamb dams. These ewes had raised 240%
lambs on average at 28 months of age.
2001: Consortium of 60 Merino studmasters purchasing
Finn genetics (from us) to improve their Merinos. Their aims include softer
wool and wrinkle-free skins, better conformation, improved fertility, better
foraging ability, enhanced hardiness, etc. They are currently performing 1200 ETs and 5000 AIs this year.
Continuing to be the leading supplier of Finn genetics in
Anyone who wonders about the future growth of the lamb market should think
seriously about
(click to read
on and learn more...)
This is the original Finnsheep importation to
(click to read on and learn
more...)
Robin Hilson of the ONE STOP RAM SHOP Hawkes Bay NZ imported these sheep because he thought the
LAMB XL sheep weren’t good enough. He was right! We have just been over
there (in February)...
(click to read on and learn more...)
Want to know how to feed a sheep nothing and still see it doing well? Olsson’s
programme is the answer! Our sheep have been on this programme since January (It is now May) and they have never
looked better!...
(click to read on and learn
more...)
In March 2000 we visited OSRS at Takepau near Hawkes Bay NZ. Here Robin Hilson
runs 2500 Finn-Texel ewes on rough hill country. He
reckons them to be tougher and better doers even than Perenedales
which are notoriously good sheep for this type of exposed, wet, cold, windy country.Not only that though, they are returning 180%+
lambs to the works and that makes for a very profitable enterprise indeed...
(click to read on and
learn more...)
We have developed a method of vermin-proofing boundaries or lambing paddocks
which would benefit others. It is cheap to build when constructing a new fence
and seems to keep out dogs, foxes, wombats, wallabies and most other pests...
(click to read on and
learn more...)
We can
arrange delivery anywhere for example to Central NSW or
A trial
conducted at Kirra South
“Maiden Merino/ Finn cross ewes mated to a
A Quote
from a Survey of users producing 1st X lambs using Finn Sires
"we sold approximately 160 Finn/Merino wether
lambs at the same time we were marketing the standard 1 st
cross wethers (BL/M). The Finn cross were almost a
month younger and the carcase weights were almost
identical to the BL lambs. They were definitely leaner. The Finn cross carcases stood out against the BL sired carcases
because they were very smoothly skinned. The muscle pattern and finishing
ability of the Finn cross is quite satisfactory. Slightly more length of leg in
the carcase but there were no deductions for the Finn
cross in comparison with the BL sired first cross lambs."
2005 again saw exports, this year of embryos to
We have
now successfully developed long wool Finns with fleece lengths (@ one year old)
of up to one foot (30 cm) at @25 micron or less with thin, soft rolling skins
(SRS) and typically able to raise triplets and quads. These genetics continue
to be eagerly sought by the Merino industry in
Check out this Finn fleece growth
@ six months of age
In 2004
clients sold this type of Finn-Merino lambs' wool @ $5.50-kg off five months'
old lambs as compared with their adult Merino wool at $7-8/kg. These producers
observed that the length of their lambs' wool assured them that they could
achieve two shearings per year as stated above.
(Their breeding objective is to achieve two cuts of 8 kg per year and at least
two lambs raised each lambing!).
In a normal year such sheep offer the prospect of $80-100 of wool and $150-200
worth of lambs giving return per ewe to $300 per year or better. On irrigation
a well-managed flock might achieve two lambings per
calendar year. A small flock of such ewes (1,000) has the prospect of grossing
$300,000 per annum from a single lambing and can be run on less than 100
hectares of good land in South-Eastern Australia, land which could cost itself
less than $600,000! These genetics are really on track to return profitability
to the sheep industry in
MATERNAL CENTRAL PROGENY TEST
(click here to get all the statistics
and more)
RESULTS: The Maternal Central Progeny Test's
results are now in for the three years' joining of a variety of crosses
developed for their fertility (see Technical Bulletin 50 Page 44 NSW Dept of
Primary Industries: Sire progeny means for annual lambing rate - 1st cross
ewes). Unfortunately the research scientists overall did not have the expertise
that the average farmer has to gain the best from the sheep in their care and
overall lambing percentages for all breeds and lamb losses were most
disappointing. Seasonal factors have also been poorer than normal.
The average lambs weaned per ewe joined for the traditional Border Leicester
Merino cross was 103% from lambs born per ewe joined of 123% and 146% litter
size per ewe lambing - well down on normal farming practice.
East Friesian Merino crosses achieved 115% lambs weaned per ewe joined from
132% lambs born per ewe joined and 150% litter size per ewe lambing. Lamb
losses like this of approximately one-third across all breeds would not
normally occur on a profitable farm.
The Finn Merino crosses performed
better than this as might be expected with 117% lambs weaned per ewe joined
from 161% lambs born per ewe joined and 179% litter size per ewe lambing!
The study does demonstrate that there are significant improvements to be made
in prime lamb production from a switch to Finn and East Friesian genetics and
particularly to Finn genetics - of at least 30%.
Our client experience from practical farmers is that improvements in
productivity of 50-70% in lamb production are the norm.
Most of our farmer clients are managing to market larger percentages per ewe
joined than the study managed to get on the ground ie
normally around 180% lambs to market from Finn-Merino
ewes on the mainland and even better in Tasmania!
Ewe with
.....
MATERNAL CENTRAL PROGENY TEST
FINDS FINNS BEST!
(click here
to get all the statistics and more)
The
MATERNAL CENTRAL PROGENY TEST has found Finns and Finn-Friesians to be the BEST DAM
BREED in the following categories:
BEST:
Profitability: $42 more per ewe joined!
BEST: Base ewes pregnant.
BEST: FirstX ewes pregnant.
BEST: Foetal scanning of base ewes.
BEST: Foetal scanning of FirstX
ewes.
BEST: Prejoining liveweight
of FirstX ewes.
BEST: Assisted births: base and FirstX ewes.
BEST: Lambs born per base ewe joined.
BEST: Lambs born per FirstX ewe joined.
BEST: Marking percentage of FirstX lambs.
BEST: Lamb survival to marking base and FirstX ewes.
BEST: Weaning weight FirstX lambs.
BEST: Total carcass weight of 2ndX lambs per ewe joined.
BEST: Carcass fat and eye muscle area of 2ndX lambs.
BEST: FirstX wool EBVs.
Please
note: MOST OF THE FINNS AND ALL THE FINN-FRIESIANS
WERE GIPPFINN RAMS AND/OR UNSW RAMS - THE SIRE
(WARRAYURE 93-5010) IS A UNSW RAM.
......
MATERNAL CENTRAL PROGENY TEST
RESULT UPDATES
(click to get all the statistics and
more)
This study
being carried out by Department of Agriculture research establishments at four
sites (Struan, Hamilton, Rutherglen
& Cowra) in three states, aims to assess the
available maternal sire genetics used to produce first-cross ewes from Merino
and Corriedale ewes. The weakness of the research in
terms of assessing fertility and fecundity is that AI matings
alone are used to produce the first-cross ewes,
therefore it is difficult to establish whether differences in the lamb
production from the Merino/Corriedale ewes were due
to differences in AI procedures or were attributable to sire fertility
differences. For example, though the Finn rams consistently produced 25% more
lambs than the average out of the base ewes, we cannot conclude that this is
due to superior fertility, even though we know from other research and farmer
experience that this is normal.
As
regards fecundity, though the Merino/Corriedale ewes
and the first-cross ewes are scanned during pregnancy, (and the Finn-cross ewes are always carrying 25-50% more
lambs) no attempt is being made to separate ewes carrying twins into different
management units from ewes carrying singles, as would be normal farming practice.
When a twin ewe has to compete with a single ewe during gestation and the first
year of life, and when that twin ewe is giving birth to twins herself at twelve
months of age while the single ewe is only giving birth to a single lamb, you
would have to conclude that this superior ewe is being put at an enormous and
unwarranted disadvantage. However, we should point out that the Finn-cross ewe is excelling in every measured
quality in the study despite these disadvantages. In all the most important
categories she ranks BEST and in just about everything else she ranks in the
TOP 10%.
INCREASING
LAMB SIZE AND SURVIVAL
All the research
shows that if you shear exactly half way through gestation lamb size will be
increased by half a kilo or so and lamb survival will be improved. Keep the
sheep well fed if you are going to do this because they must be able to stay
warm and plenty of roughage is important for this. Sheep coats might be used. Olssons Peak 50 blocks in the second half of pregnancy will
also help the lambs.
We have recently hosted a Finnsheep breeder from
Here in
Lamb
weaning percentages have been affected by the protracted dry, so that for
example last year we were only able to average about 200% at weaning (down from
250% plus). We have now culled all ewes from our flock who have failed to raise
over 200% average by themselves during their lifetime, however. There has also
been an increase in twinning at birth as compared with triplets and quads
because of the drought. Ewes successfully raising higher multiples have been
really up against it. Some older ones have even died trying (usually after
succeeding!), but generally we have weaned early to avoid this. We have also
set aside a lamb supplementary feeding area in a corner of the home paddock
with an entryway only large enough for lambs up to approx 20 kg (about 25cm
wide/ 10" - just feeding a handful of oats each). No doubt this has helped
with lamb survival and taken some pressure off the ewes, but is a practice which
needs careful monitoring as it can lead too easily to sheep with an imperfectly
developed rumen who then fail to thrive throughout life on ordinary pasture. It
is definitely only a drought strategy.
We cannot
say whether lamb size at birth has been affected by the drought as our breeding
strategy has been to increase this. We have also used iodine rich blocks
throughout gestation to enhance the trait. We no longer have Finn lambs born at
under 3kg. We achieved this by carefully selecting ewes and rams who were born
multiples at this size or better. We now have some ewes who
have given birth to 19kg of lambs (quads).
Most years
we have had a 'green drought' throughout autumn-winter and this shortage of
feed has led to a break in the wool of most sheep (around August), and
particularly ewes carrying higher multiples. Of course this has affected our
wool price which has only averaged between $3-4 per kilogram most years. We
have attempted to cull the ewes who showed the worst
tendency to wool breaks and yellowing. Our breeding strategy has continued to
increase wool yield, so that we cannot say how much the drought has affected
this. Currently all ewes are cutting in excess of four kilograms per shearing.
This year we are planning to begin shearing twice per year using 'snow combs'
to moderate climate shock. These combs leave
approximately one centimetre of wool on the ewe. We
intend to shear in late November and again in late May. Shearing half way
though gestation like this should increase lamb size by about 500 grams and
lamb survival by about 15% according to
research studies we have seen. Our average wool length now is around 150mm,
with micron around 23-25.
Though the
profitability of our enterprise has been seriously affected by this protracted
drought, and the poorest doing sheep have no doubt suffered from it, generally
we think the drought has done a lot towards making us breed better sheep. We
have culled the poorest doing sheep. The sheep who manage to consistently raise
multiples (and good ones) in such conditions are overall the only sort of sheep
one should have. Our best ewes have now raised 18 plus lambs by themselves in
the paddock during the last six years. We expect that this will be the flock
average within less than five years, and if the seasons improve we hope for
closer to 24!
We have
not been able to experiment with twice yearly lambing yet because of the
drought, though some of our more fortunate clients (on irrigation for example)
have - and have had spectacular results, eg of over
350% to market from Finn-Merino
ewes. We are currently purchasing a new farm (river flats) and we hope to be
able to access irrigation over the next three years so that in the future we
intend to target 600% per annum per Finn ewe as a breeding strategy.
We have
been experimenting with breeding ewes with four working teats. We now have a
handful of ewes achieving this, and our breeding strategy this year involved
using only rams who carried this gene. We believe that
the more equitable sharing around of colostrum and
other nutrients will enhance lamb survival even further.
Our sales
of lambs have been down because of the drought and we have not been able to
keep up with demand, so that most of our sales are pre-ordered with a 25%
deposit being paid approximately one year in advance. We have been selling a
couple of hundred pure Finn ewes/rams per year and several hundred crossbreds (mainly Finn-Texels).
During the
drought we have lost a lot of trees. Probably nearly one quarter over the
years. Trouble is you don't know when to start replanting in earnest! When will
the drought end? We intend to hedge our new property with pencil cypress
(only
one metre wide - so much less land lost) and to grow
thousands of
The
deciduous trees and particularly ones which drop seeds/nuts over winter provide
fodder at a crucial time. Honey locusts at 20 metre spacings for example can drop as much food over winter per
acre as would be delivered by harvesting one acre of oats. Also being bare in
winter they allow the lessened sunlight into the pasture at that time. Also we
believe that the shade effect of the trees during the hotter months (and their
much lower water demands) will enhance pasture growth particularly if they are
planted in the correct alignment - rows running North-South. NSW research on agroforestry poplars shows a 20% increase in stocking
capacity with the trees. Those who think that willows use less water than gums
should take a look at where the sheep lie down during the summer time. If there
is an example of a sheep choosing a gum over a willow
in the same paddock we are yet to see it.
We
traveled up the Hume Highway to the Hunter valley twice over the summer and our
observation was that if the stock had access to an exotic tree, that was where
you would find them lying to escape the summer heat. We have personally planted
gums in wet patches and willows in dry patches only to find that the relative
dampness of the patches had switched by the time the trees were grown. Which
used the greater water then? Also the gums in particular (blue gums are our
bane here)
completely denude a circle of about 20 meters around themselves. Who can afford
pasture losses like this - and for no gain? Those who plant lines of gum trees
along boundary fences should probably face a capital sentence. We personally do
not
enjoy weeds and broken fences overmuch.
Hopefully
the coming season will be a bumper and all these drought grumbles will be
forgotten for years - until the next one! One certainty to be born in mind:
Target fodder storage at two years' supply at least. Happy
farming.
Again we
have sold a bulk order of Finn ewes and rams to a consortium who
are to produce over one thousand pure Finn embryos this year. The demand for
Finn genetics has now become so strong that this (Embryo Transplant) is
practically the only method available to breeders wishing to access large
numbers of pure Finns.
There are
a number of our clients who are employing other breeders to perform contract
joining (usually Finns to Merinos) to produce enough Finncrosses
for their (and others') needs.
Last year
we made some four-titted Finn-Merinos (using Keri Keri genetics). These promise greater fertility, size and
milking, superior wool and soft rolling skins. The SRS group has assisted us
with selection and advice greatly in this project. We envisage further
improvement in our Finns in time from this project. In the meantime Merino
breeders who might envisage obtaining improved fertility, milking, longer wool
and better skins could think about using such a Finn-Merino over their flocks. Unfortunately
it is unlikely that there will be many rams available this year (pre-ordered)
but clients could order now for next year's drop and we will produce them on
demand.
OUR GENETICS IMPROVE PRIME LAMB PRODUCTION
Ken Pattison of Boort reports an
improvement of 70%
in his prime lamb production using our genetics. Well done, Ken.
2001: Cowra Research station reports Finn-Merinos
raising 162%
lambs as compared with best all other breed Merino crosses @ 128%!
HOGGET FINN-MERINOS RAISING 160%
2001:
Beacon Prime Lamb Producers Western Australia (a Meat and Livestock Australia
PIRD research project undertaken by Dr Fred Wilkinson) report hogget
Finn-Merinos raising 160%! Compare these results for productivity and
profitability with your normal prime lamb dams. These ewes had raised 240%
lambs on average at 28 months of age.
MERINO STUDMASTERS
PURCHASE OUR FINN GENETICS
2001:
Consortium of 60 Merino studmasters purchasing Finn
genetics (from us) to improve their Merinos. Their aims include softer wool and
wrinkle-free skins, better conformation, improved fertility, better foraging
ability, enhanced hardiness, etc. They are currently performing
1200 ETs and 5000 AIs this year.
LEADING SUPPLIER OF
FINN GENETICS IN
Continuing
to be the leading supplier of Finn genetics in
Anyone who
wonders about the future growth of the lamb market should think seriously about
We further
notice that recently
This is
the original Finnsheep importation to
Until 1991
only the three
Amazingly
all the 1990-born sheep were still alive and lambing in 2000 though they have
enjoyed an awful life. Most still have all their teeth! Most were stive in 2002! This and the fact that the flock was run at
Hay NSW (on country which supports only one sheep per ten acres - where they
nonetheless regularly raised triplets) testifies greatly to the hardiness and
longevity of this flock.
We have
found the UNSW flock and the Sheepak flock to be superior to the ATC sheep in most
ways. We believe that this is because they are pure Finnish Landrace rather
than comprising mainly Swedish Fin (sic) genetics as we are now 99% certain the
ATC flock were. (NB The Swedish ‘Fin’
breed were produced by crossing Finnish Landrace with Swedish finewool sheep - the breeding emphasis was on size and
fineness and tended to ignore successful profligacy, lamb size, milk production
and hardiness. “Fin” means “fine” in Swedish so it is
easy to see how the import selectors may have got this wrong).
Our
clients in
This means
that apart from a couple of daughter flocks we are the only breeders of Finnish
Landrace sheep
We have
crossed this flock with some ATC sheep and vice versa since 1995 so that by now
there are very few pure ATC sheep on our property. Our experience has been that
a minority of ATC sheep meet our standards of what a good sheep is but about
90% of UNSW sheep do. We have selected away from
light-framed finewool Finns and Finns who give birth
to small offspring and/or who are unable to raise 3-4 lambs of at least 3kg birthweight each in the paddock without assistance. We will
not use a ram which wasn’t reared at least a triplet. We do not think
that it is specially important to have the largest sheep
(which only eat more) but that productive sheep of good size, muscling and
conformation which raise a lot of 40 kg lambs economically are better. We have
wanted Finns which cut 4kg plus of wool and who have a little fat on their
backs to keep them warm. We have selected sheep with large rumen capacity and
who can produce significant quantities of milk. Our best sheep are raising
litters of three plus lambs whose total weight is 100kg plus at 84 days
(weaning). Anyone can see that this amounts to 1000 litres
of milk in 84 days. Our best lamb was 47 kg at 75 days (This was as an ET) and
his progeny outgrew all other breeds in the MCPT trials at
|
& Della Jones, Gippfinn Finnsheep Stud RMB 4518, Morwell 3840 |
CONTACT US
|
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