Puketauru Newsletter 2011
Dear Prospective Client,
I trust you have had a better spring this year and hope the improvements in weather and the market place have helped soften the impact of last year’s storms.
From our perspective the extreme weather left us with fewer animals to work with this season, but the natural selection that occurred for lamb survival, mothering ability and cold tolerance needs to be viewed as a positive. This year’s ram crop would have to be the hardiest we have had to offer in recent years.
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It’s been great to see the return of wool as a valued commodity. Recently there have been reports of wool being stolen around the Marton area – who would have thought that twelve months ago?
To see strong wool prices enduring, despite the NZ dollar, is very encouraging for a breeder of dual-purpose animals. When it comes down to the bottom line the Coopworth will be hard to beat in an environment where there is strong demand for lamb, renewed interest in wool and a shortage of sheep.
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I have recently become President of Coopworth Genetics New Zealand inc. (Formally the Coopworth Sheep Society) and it is an exciting time to be involved with the direction and management of the Breed.
Our competitive advantage continues to be the maternal strength of the Coopworth ewe – high fertility, easy-care lambing and superior mothering ability summed up by the phrase ”The Best Dam Breed”.
Coopworth production is underpinned by high selection standards, a heritage of performance recording (that is second to none) and an ethos of striving for and demonstrating genetic gain.
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At Puketauru we continue to work on improving the carcass value of our stock. Historically our rams have been eye-muscle scanned in early August. This is cost effective because by then we have had enough time to assess them and cull down to our winter stocking rate. However we have been aware that an autumn scanning would align better with the commercial world and so this year to get that data (and help select animals for CT yield assessment) we eye-muscle scanned 50 rams in March.
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Going to varsity. Our ram lambs await transport to Lincoln for CT Scanning. (April)
They averaged 12.8cm2 for eye-muscle area (EMA) which, to put into context, compares favourably with averages published for progeny of elite dual purpose rams in Beef & Lamb’s 2011 Central Progeny Test (done about the same time).
Our best lamb had an EMA of 16.4cm2. He accompanied eight other Puketauru rams to Lincoln University for CT scanning in April before returning to be used successfully as a sire. This year’s CT results were taken from a ‘seven slice’ scan giving a more comprehensive yield appraisal than the ‘four slice’ procedure used last year. The two methods can’t be compared, but I can report that our rams averaged 50.6kg LW with an average yield of 60.2%, and highest yield of 65.31%.
The rams endured another wet winter and were shorn on the 1st of August. Average fleece weight was 100 grams less than last year at 3.9kgs.
192 potential sale rams were then EMA scanned as per our normal procedure. They averaged 61kg LW (shorn) with a mean EMA of 13.88cm2. Our best result was shared by two rams who measured 18.87cm2 of chop.
During the winter our cull ram lambs averaged $175 over four sales at Feilding with a top price of $185 in late August. Our dry ewes (there were only eight) made $187 in July.
We have just completed our 12th year of facial eczema testing and have recently challenged six ram hoggets from three different sires at a new level of .4. I’m pleased to report that the increase in dose rate had little effect on the chosen group. (see next page). Our FE rams continue to prove themselves in areas such as Auckland, Waikato, Wairoa, Rangitikei-Manawatu and Wanganui.
Please state on your return card if you are interested in FE tolerance. Nearly all of the rams available for sale in 2011 have FE tested sires in their family background but some bloodlines are stronger than others and we prefer to allocate these sheep to those who need this trait most. Prices will still be based on DPP Index.
Prices for 2011 will be $100 dearer in each price bracket. Rams will be valued at $500 to $900 +GST based on index. Regular Clients will be be aware that our prices have not changed since 2005. Adjustment for increased costs needed to happen last year – but given the events of spring 2010 we thought better of it.
Rams will be available for viewing after pre-sale inspections in mid October. As usual they will be dipped and vet palpated prior to sale. Puketauru has Brucellosis Flock Accreditation. Rams are guaranteed when they leave the farm but not once they have been mixed with other rams.
Thank you to those of you who purchased last year - we appreciate your support.
Please place your provisional orders just as soon as you can – they are non binding but very helpful to us in planning the selling season ahead.
Hope to see you in November/December. Go the All Blacks!
Puketauru Two tooths. March 2011.
Our 2th ewes have performed well this year. Shown here prior to tupping, they endured prolonged FE conditions to scan 216%, with only 2.3% dry. These ewes are not mated as hoggets. They are done hard in their first winter and those that demonstrate resilience are selected to go to the ram as 2ths.
On the 23rd March they averaged 65kgs LW.
Jane with 997-09
Having my children accompany me during tagging is always a highlight of lambing.
Here Jane holds the first lambs of a 2th. Note the strong maternal instinct (of the ewe!) and birth weight of the lambs.
Facial Eczema Testing. September 2011. This year we increased our dose rate for FE testing to .4. We believe our progress in this trait is aligned with gains in production such as the conception rates discussed above.
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