More Wins For Rockdale SAMMS
Intensifying their SAMM genetics helped Haydn and Mark Edwards of Rockdale Dumbleyung to win WAMMCO’s Producer of the Month title for February and also produced a handy WAMMCO Smart bonus. Rockdale Prime SAMM stud also took out the prize for Grand Champion SAMM ram, which went on to be Supreme Grand Champion Sheep of all breeds at last week’s Wagin Woolorama.
Winners of WAMMCO’s 2006 State Lamb competition, they delivered 112 lambs to Katanning to win Producer of the Month title on February 26, just before entries closed for the 2008 State competition.
It was their first consignment since WAMMCO Select was launched last month and 62 lambs representing 55.4 percent of the draft, attracted bonuses totalling $335.
“It is pleasing to see breeders being rewarded for their efforts,” Haydn said. “We have invested heavily in producing bigger eye muscle and we will be watching WAMMCO Smart with great interest.” Mark said most of the consignment consisted of pure bred, SAMMcull ewe lambs off cereal and pulse stubbles after a good early break, and with some supplementary hay. “We have been steadily increasing our breeding flockto pure SAMM, and are now producing lambs that can be turned off earlier and dress out better.
“About 80 percent of the flock are now pure SAMM and we are also noticing that the lambing percentage of these ewes is now in the mid-130 percent range. This is up from just over 100 percent with our first cross ewes.” Rockdale has continued to successfully import SAMM fertilised embryos from South Africa.
The Edwards family, including wives Peta and Renaeall play an active role in the lamb breeding enterprise. The family aims to contain the size of the ewe flock, but to reach 100 percent SAMM to maximise its profitability. The winning consignment was sold on WAMMCO’s daily schedule for an average of $4.58 per kilo and an average per head of 26.04 kg to return $119.45, including 30 cents for the skin. Two heavy lambs scored $180.08 each, and a further 17 made $158.38 per head.
61 lambs in the consignmentwere priced at $4.60 per kg, with another 48 at $4.40. Testimony to the Edwards’ breeding and feeding policy was the fact that 91.1 percent of the lambswere fat score 2, with only 8.9 percent as fat score 3.
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