Not much further north at Kulin – in another area of the lakes belt that also experienced a lack of winter rain – the Lucchesi family came a very close second to WAMMCO’s January Producer of the Month.
Michael Lucchesi’s delivery of 414 Merino/White Suffolk/Poll Dorset cross lambs to WAMMCO in January recorded 98.07 (or 0.01 percent less than the winning 98.08 percent) in the cooperative’s premium grade.
His large draft of lambs was also from a substantial feedlot that played a key role in keeping the family on a high livestock ratio during a rainfall season of around 250 mm.
Michael buys in replacements for a flock of 3,500 Merino ewes, and uses White Suffolk and Poll Dorset sires from Nick Cheetham’s studs at Narembeen. He is assisted by local West Coast Livestock agent Barry Gangell.
“Sheep are an excellent farming ‘tool’ in managing our 7,700 hectares of arable freehold, and a large area of salt affected country we also manage to graze.
“We try to set our crossbred weights for around 3,300 lambs each year, at 47 kg per head, but fell back to an average of 45 kg this year with the tighter conditions.”
Michael’s father Sergio was one of the instigators of Kulin’s “Tin Horse” highway, and the pair were pictured with a copy of an early 1900’s McCormick tractor used by Sergio’s father, now serving as an entrance statement at their farm last week.
The Lucchesi family arrived in WA from Italy in the 1930’s and worked in the district as they developed their farming interests.
Sergio and Mary, son Michael his wife Alison and children Ben (5) and Pippa (3) reside on the East Kulin property that also serves as home to the widely acclaimed annual Kulin Race meeting.
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