WAMMCO

A Katanning property that  produced WAMMCO’s Producer of the Month for November, is also home to SAMM producer Chris Pollock who was named December winner of the coveted title.

“There was a real onus to get some good lambs into WAMMCO in December when business partner Haydn Beeck won the title in November,” December winner Chris Pollock said.

His winning consignment of  117 SAMM/Merino lambs averaged 25.16 kg with 88 percent in the premium 22.1 to 26 kg premium category for a return of $79.76 per head. The price was calculated at $3.17 per kg.

Chris, who also runs a radio communications business in the Great Southern, has been breeding prime lambs for 20 years. He is keen to increase his annual lamb turnoff from the current 350 lambs,  and moved across to SAMM sires from Steve Slater’s Margam stud in 2002.

“I believe SAMMS offer the best opportunity to reach the heavier weights required by the US market,” he said.

“The lambs take a little longer to start but keep going easily beyond the 21 kg point.”

Chris said WAMMCO’s buying and contract systems were a major bonus for WA producers, and feedback from the cooperative was excellent.

A keen student of VIASCAN he said the system initially showed up the variations in his lambs and was now enabling him to optimise production.

The excellent growing season at Katanning had enabled most of his lambs to go through on ryegrass-based pastures.

“I use pellets to boost the ration if I have to, but nothing beats good grass when it is available,” He said.