PROTEIN production has jumped ahead of fibre among New England and North West Merino breeding operations as they increase emphasis on breeding larger framed and more fertile sheep.

With lower ultrafine and superfine wool prices these are the changes stud and flock breeders have looked to in order to accommodate the needs of buyers, according to Landmark wool representative, Peter Stewart, Glen Innes.

“Breeders are changing to a heavier cutting more versatile Merino,” he said.

“So these will be the type of rams people will be looking for at northern sales this year.”

Fertility is where the profit drive is, he says, and a dual meat and wool Merino type is more profitable these days.

Many clients of Phil Evans, Schute Bell, Glen Innes, are keeping a nucleus self-replacement flock while joining classed-out ewes to British Breed terminal sires for prime lamb production.

“Producers are now selecting the best and heaviest wool cutting ewe with the biggest frame type and breeding Merinos from her,” he said.

“The rest may go to British Breed rams and in that way they get a wool cut from the lambs prior to marketing either over the hooks or in the saleyards.”

This way sheep breeders have their nucleus of ewes to swing back to wool production if and when that market rises.

“However, Merino breeders in this region, particularly in the more marginal country, are in Merinos for the long haul,” Mr Evans said.

“They’ve tried alternatives but are going back to Merinos as sheep do well in those marginal areas.

“Breeders are sticking to the Merino because it’s a dual purpose sheep.

“They are making good money in their surplus sheep sales and wethers are making good money at present in the mutton side of things.”

Mr Evans said wool was just a by-product at the moment.

“But if wethers still cut $30 to $40 of wool, combined with surplus sheep sales the income from their sheep breeding enterprise isn’t too bad,” he said.

He anticipated that the rams with a big fleece weight and good performance figures would be the type buyers targeted.



“Everyone is now more selective in what they do,” he said.

“They are thinking about fleece weight and frame size.”

He said producers might not be chasing micron as much, but instead looking for a dual purpose Merino type.

“Sheep are a great tool to have on your place,” Mr Evans said.

“They are another income earner on farm and you just juggle things around with the ups and downs of farming.”