Save the Date: National Poll Dorset Conference 2026 – Wagga Wagga
Australia produced the most lamb on record in calendar year 2022. The past quarter recorded the most lamb meat ever produced in a quarter at 149,385 tonnes. Sheep slaughter for the quarter was 2,550,700 - the highest since December 2019.
Tail docking of lambs is a common practice for producers as it often plays a role in ensuring animal welfare. However, if done incorrectly, it can pose a risk to lamb survival.
More than 200 secondary age youth attended this year’s Central West NSW Region Poll Dorset Youth Day.
The Rene stud, Culcairn, NSW has kicked off what is hoped to be a successful show season in fantastic fashion, winning the Poll Dorset supreme exhibit at the 2023 Sheepvention event with their grand champion ewe.
The Bureau of Meteorology remains at El Niño Alert in the latest Climate Driver Update and continues to forecast warmer and drier conditions for the coming months.
Joining ewe lambs can increase profitability by up to $57 per ewe lamb joined – and a new tool has just become available to help producers make informed decisions to maximise gains from the practice.
Since it was introduced nearly 20 years ago, electronic identification (eID) has delivered a clear return on investment for producers who tap into the productivity-boosting data it generates. MLA investments in eID research provide support for producers to collect and use information about flock health, biosecurity and reproductive performance. Now, with the 2025 mandate for sheep and goat producers to implement eID on the horizon, MLA is funding projects to fast-track resources for producers to make the switch.
Sheep Genetics implement annual analysis enhancements to ensure they continue to provide world-leading genetic evaluation services to clients. Sheep Genetics works alongside the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU) who are responsible for the research and development behind the enhancements to the Sheep Genetics evaluations.
Valley Vista Poll Dorset stud, Coolac, NSW, won the supreme shortwool exhibit with a Poll Dorset ewe that attracted the judges' eyes from the outset of the competition.
Nation’s sheep flock will reach its highest level since 2007 at 78.75 million head.
Organisers were "ecstatic" with the number of entries at the NSW Dorset Championships in Cowra, which saw 17 studs compete over two days.
The Australian Poll Dorset Association is a very proud sponsor of the the Australian ICMJ event in Wagga Wagga, NSW, from 4-8 July 2023.
DNA based technologies have revolutionised livestock breeding in recent times, with DNA testing now routinely incorporated within dairy, sheep, and beef breeding programs around the world.
The Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement offers access to the UK market for Australian sheep producers
Second Annual Report of the Sheep Sustainability Framework (SSF) tracking performance of sheep and wool industry
Extensive small stock farming is one of the only really viable enterprises in much of arid South Africa, according to Schalk Cloete.
Genetics are the engine of the livestock industry, according to Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit director Steve Miller.
National sheep flock will grow to its highest level since 2007 at 78.75m head
For the first time since 2016, mutton prices have dropped below $3/kg carcase weight, currently down 98¢ since the start of the year – a fall of 25%.
The sheep and lamb market has seen some ups and downs in 2022. As the year draws to a close, we take a look at the prices, yardings and slaughter over the past 12 months.
New season lamb prices are operating 19% (or $29/head) higher than the five-year average. Most states are experiencing mixed demand, with wet weather hampering ability of stock to be sent to market. A rollover of new season lambs into 2023 is looking increasingly likely as lambs are held back from sale.
Continued rainfall and extreme weather has resulted in flooding and waterlogged farms across the east coast.
Poll Dorset stalwart Graham Day has seen many changes in his eight decades in the sheep industry but he never doubted the breed's ability to become and remain one of the nation's dominant prime lamb sires.
The NSW Government has received unanimous support for the development of a national, industry-led mandatory sheep and goat electronic identification (eID) system during a meeting of Australian Agriculture Ministers.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently released the official livestock and production figures for the second quarter of 2022. The data also provided insights on slaughter, production, value and carcase weight for sheep and cattle for the 2022 financial year.
Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30) is an ambitious target for the Australian red meat and livestock industry to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.
The first Annual Report of the Sheep Sustainability Framework (SSF) was released at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo in July, delivering on the world-first commitment of the Australian sheep and wool industry to create a data-driven yearly snapshot of sustainability performance.
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who started his own stud at 15, young Sam Williams is already making big moves in the industry.
Barber’s pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is a blood sucking roundworm of sheep and goats, with minor crossover into cattle.
Australian sheep producers have reported a total breeding flock of 42.5 million head, an increase of 500,000 ewes since last year, according to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Australian Wool Innovation’s (AWI) Wool and Sheepmeat Survey Report for June 2022.
An extract from his Eulogy courtesy of John Jasper
“If you do nothing in life, nothing happens.” Poll Dorset breeder Don McKinnon has lived by that slogan, and it has certainly proven true for him.
POLL Dorset sired lambs continue to be the most profitable in prime lamb production.
PUTTING Poll Dorset rams in your paddocks means you can bank on breeding lambs with rapid growth and consistent quality that demand a premium price.
NSW’s peak young lamb saleyard throughput occurs in mid to late spring – a month earlier than Victoria’s peak.
From January to May, Australia exported 110,775 tonnes of lamb and 57,655 tonnes of mutton, 5% and 7% more respectively than the same period in 2021.
MLA has revised its Australian sheep industry projections, which now predict the national flock will increase by 2% in 2022 to reach 76m head – its highest level since 2013.
The 2021 Global agribenchmark report for sheepmeat has been released.
The Australian sheepmeat industry have welcomed the signing of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA).
MLA and AWI’s sheepmeat and wool survey provides a representation of flock populations, demographics, producer intentions and breeds, allowing MLA to make projections around the sheepmeat industry.
Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) Sheep Genetics program continually strives to provide world leading genetic evaluations for Australia’s sheep and goat producers.
Frensham is a girls boarding school located in Mittagong, south of Sydney. The school runs a small flock of Poll Dorsets as which are used in the teaching of Agriculture from Years 9 – 12.
Bowan Park Poll Dorset stud research flock is open to all members of the Australian Poll Dorset Association (APDA) and provides them the opportunity to assess their flock genetics and benchmark them within the Poll Dorset breed. The purpose of the progeny trial is to compare the performance of one sire to other in the same cohort of lambs. The performance values to be measured are key commercial traits relevant to the Poll Dorset’s role as a terminal sire – growth, muscle and fat measured on live animals, and yield and eating quality at carcase assessment.
Annually Sheep Genetics implements enhancements to the LAMBPLAN evaluation to provide breeders with the latest tools to make genetic gain. This year the Sheep Genetics analysis will undergo significant enhancements that breeders can expect to see results from in early May.
World-leading objective measurement technologies in lamb were on show last month at a special event held at Gundagai Meat Processors (GMP) in Gundagai, NSW.
The Australasian Dorset Championships is planning to return to Bendigo in the last week of August for the first time since 2019.
Producers need to be aware of their animal welfare responsibilities when it comes to tail docking.
The abundance of grass leading into the autumn has set many sheep producers up well for lambing, but it has also increased the risk of mastitis.
New Zealand is making significant gains when it comes to selecting sheep that produce less methane.
The national flock is predicted to grow by 4.9 per cent to 74.4 million head in 2022, reaching its highest level since 2013, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) February Sheep Industry Projections.
In the past few weeks Sheep Genetics hosted several webinars for members about the 2022 Analysis Enhancements
This season will be remembered for many reasons, and the sheep worm story is but one of a long list! (flies, floods, grain harvests that were anything but smooth, plus more!) The pressure from worms that producers are experiencing in their sheep flocks has in some cases caught many off guard, and where producers were expecting things to be busy managing worms, producers have been surprised by the relentless pressure.
Embarking on DNA testing for the first time might seem a daunting task but be assured it is an easy and affordable process that can deliver significant improvement in a flock through better selection at joining time.
Records fell for both flock and stud sires, as a growing sheep flock, consistent lamb prices and a continuing good season in many areas encouraged strong bidding.
Both pneumonia and pleurisy in sheep can prove costly for producers, from having slow growth rates, carcase trimming or even death.
Sheep Genetics have developed a range of selection indexes as tools to drive genetic improvement that considers multiple traits of economic or functional importance. Each index has been built to align with typical breeding objectives of various types of producers, aiming to improve profitability in commercial sheep enterprises.
Poll Dorset-sired new season lambs break national record once again.
AN AUSTRALIAN record for a Poll Dorset ram was set at $41,000 at Andrew and Caroline McLauchlan's Tasmanian-based Valma stud.
Raiven Cole, 9 years old from the Ashley Park Poll Dorset Stud won the 2021 Melbourne Royal, virtual Showcase your Sheep Competition.
The forecast of a wet spring in many key sheep producing regions in Australia will drive the national flock to over 70 million head in 2021, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s 2021 October sheep industry projections.
Hosted online through AuctionsPlus, the Australasian Dorset Championships online ram sale hit a $23,250 top and averaged $7102 for 22 rams sold of the 29.
Poll Dorset sired new season lambs have achieved a new national saleyard record price, selling for $331.20.
Prices for first and second cross mixed sex lambs have risen steady year-on-year, with robust domestic and export demand underpinning prices. First and second cross Poll Dorset mixed sex lambs have increased by an average of 11% annually since 2016.
Lambing down 8500 Merino ewes is no mean feat, but it is made easier by being confident in the outcome. How? By joining them to Poll Dorsets.
DNA testing is a fast and efficient method for Poll Dorset seedstock producers to obtain critical data for identifying elite, high-performance animals from an early age.
Russ Davis from D&D Consulting Group has spent the last five months, consulting and managing an exciting and innovative sheep project, in the community of Huanxian in Gansu Provence, China. Huanxian is about 1200km from Beijing near the Gobi Desert. The climate is extremely harsh, with winter temperatures reaching -30 degrees.
From our sponsors: GlanEry 7® in 1 B12 will protect your valuable asset and maximise on farm profits. Zoetis Australia is proud to announce that the new innovative sheep vaccine, GlanEry® 7 in 1 B12, will soon be available in stores near you. This product is a new formulation that combines the market leading proven protection of Glanvac® 6 B12 and Eryvac® into one convenient vaccine.
The national sheep flock is set to enter a significant rebuilding phase in 2021 on the back of improved seasonal conditions in key sheep production regions of eastern Australia, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2021 Sheep Industry Projections released this month.
In 2020–21 Australian lamb slaughter is forecast to rise by 3% to 21 million head, due to favourable conditions in the latter half of 2019–20 and increased joining with terminal sires (those joined purely for meat production). This will limit promotion into the flock, with lamb production forecast to rise by 4% to 500,000 tonnes in 2020–21.
The first episode features a conversation with one of the forefathers of the meat grading and judging programs in Australia, MLA Managing Director Jason Strong.
What started as a Tasmanian Junior Farmer project has turned into more than half a decade of breeding, and an Australian Poll Dorset Association Life Membership for Julian Iles.
Courtesy of Alastair Dowie, Stock & Land & Claire Harris, Stock Journal
Courtesy of Russ Davis, Ceva Animal Health
Courtesy of Dr David Rendell, Agriculture Victoria
Courtesy of Gervaise Gaunt, Agriculture Victoria
SPRING ram sales results were stronger than ever for the Poll Dorset breed this year, with many studs achieving increased clearances and averages on last year.
Sheep and lamb prices remain strong as producers across much of the country experience improved seasonal conditions.
2020 has been such an incredibly unusual year for everyone, particularly sheep breeders, and we have all had to find new ways to advertise our stock, genetics, and breeding potential of our rams.
About the School Good Shepherd College is located at Hamilton Victoria. It has a junior and senior campus. The senior campus is located out of town and has a 180 acre farm with a Poll Dorset stud, Murray Grey stud and a prime lamb enterprise. There are approximately 200 students.
The Australian Poll Dorset Association has welcomed two new directors to the Board.
Peak representative bodies WoolProducers Australia (WPA), Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) and Australian Livestock & Property Agents Association (ALPA) are reminding those in the sheep industry about ensuring that the sheep they are selling are ready for sale by meeting the requirements of the Fit to Load guide.
Mr Chris Mirams Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) Chair has welcomed Robert Herrmann to the SPA Board and congratulate Bindi Murray on her re-appointment to the Board.
Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) and Integrity Systems Company (ISC), have announced a $4.5million partnership to develop new data-driven technology and services that enhance sophistication in red meat and livestock supply chains.
AMIC welcomes the announcement that workforce capacity restrictions have been removed for the meat processing sector from 11:59pm Sunday 8 November 2020.
WHEN WAMMCO asked its June 2020 Producer of the Month winner Roger Bilney, Kojonup, to nominate the most significant example of technological change in the livestock operation of his family's farming business, he replied "genetics."
A passion for high-performance Poll Dorset genetics, and a proven farm business formula continue to keep Walkaway breeder Randal Levett in the WA Meat Marketing Co-operative winners’ circle.
STUDS have been carefully selecting genetics based on visual assessment and Australian Sheep Breeding Values for many years, but the Poll Dorset breed is taking the next step, by analysing on-farm and carcase performance to help producers make more informed breeding decisions. Twelve Poll Dorset studs from across the country are testing their genetics in the Bowan Park progeny trial, run by NSW stud Ridgehaven.
Galong graziers Hugh and Fran Flanery are primed to continue producing the highest quality first-cross Poll Dorset lambs they can.
Ian McCall President NZ Poll Dorset Breed Committee. Greetings to you all, from Poll Dorset NZ. As part of our breeder’s annual levies the NZ breed committee decided to give each flock, your Poll Dorset Magazine. We thank you for the opportunity to contribute to it as well.
Flock 320 Faraday Park is celebrating 60 years of operation in 2020 and the Tasmanian stud is going from strength to strength.
Courtesy of APDA Sponsor Zoetis Dr Matthew Playford from Dawbuts, Australia’s leading veterinary parasitology laboratory in Camden NSW, has been involved in developing the ground-breaking website, SheepTRAX (sheeptrax.com.au) in conjunction with Zoetis.
The remainder of September is likely to be warmer than average across most of Australia, with roughly equal chances of warmer or cooler days and nights on parts of the south coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The Australasian Dorset Championships have embraced a new format this year, with lots to be offered solely online via AuctionsPlus.
The SmartShepherd system has been used by one Poll Dorset breeder this year to increase accuracy and decrease workload of collecting dam pedigree.
The oldest Poll Dorset stud still operating in Victoria will offer ewes for the first time in its 65 year history.
Producers often correlate lambing ease directly with ram genetics, and while selecting the right sire is always important, there are a other key factors at play.
- New search site - More genotype providers - Sheep Genetics remains free
Where fat is laid down in the live animal, either within the muscle (intramuscular fat) or around it (subcutaneous fat), plays vastly different roles when it comes to eating quality and carcase yield.
Neogen Australasia’s Territory Manager for South Australia and Western Australia, Dan Roe, said genomic technology may have once been daunting for breeders and complicated to adopt, but for those new to genomics the current range of sheep DNA tests were simple to use and the results easy to interpret.
Lamb production to fall as restocker demand lifts: MLA
YASS sheep producer Frank Kaveney describes using Poll Dorset sires in his Merino operation as both “complementary” and good for “cash flow”.
THE Poll Dorset breed’s unofficial Tasmanian reporter-on-the-ground Frank Badcock is modest about his sheep breeding success. But anyone in the business will know running a successful stud for 50 years is about as successful as it gets.
HIGH scanning rates are a great measure of potential, according to Bayer Grow’s Rick White. But managing nutrition through pregnancy to marking is the indicator of the amount of potential you are utilising on-farm.
Courtesy Tom Rookyard, AuctionsPlus 2020 has been unlike any year in living memory. After 2019 which saw growers faced with floods and bushfires at the bookends of the year respectively; and was the warmest and driest year on record.
WHILE the future impacts of the current Covid-19 pandemic on all agriculture commodities is still unknown, sheep and lamb prices have started the year off historically strong.
The Bowan Park Research Flock delivered its first season of results to ram contributors in 2019. The trial, following lambs from conception to kill floor, has provided extensive data for the breed, and the rams for season two of the trial have now been selected.
Courtesy of Sheep Genetics Australia The Australian sheep breeding value Lambplan index Carcase Plus has been an important index for the sheepmeat industry but it has been found to have a negative impact on eating quality. Because of this and the industry’s focus on delivering high eating quality outcomes for consumers, the index will be retired in March 2020.
Tattykeel stud at Oberon has won the inaugural WFI Champion of Champions Poll Dorset ram competition at the Australasian Dorset Championships in Bendigo.
Laurie Thompson has been inspecting Poll Dorsets at the Melbourne Royal for 49 years - “hopefully I wrack up 50 in 2020 and it might be time to retire”.
EWES that were scanned in lamb and didn’t deliver a live one could have the campylobacter bacteria. Coopers Animal Health’s Jane Morrison says it is one of the three big causes of sheep abortion in Australia.
LOCMARIA Farms via Hynam sits on the South Australian and Victorian divide, with property on both sides of the border. It doesn’t however sit on the fence when it comes to selecting the best performing terminal sires, picking Poll Dorsets every time.
WALLACE Binnie has been breeding Poll Dorset for 50 years, but he’s far from old-school when it comes to his stud. Starting with 40 ewes to breed rams for his family’s farm, Wallace soon “caught the bug for the stud job” as he puts it.
BEN Shanks has been feeding his 4000 First-Cross ewes for the best part of three years, but is defying the dry with strong results - on-farm and in the saleyard.
The renowned fast-growth of Poll Dorset crosses allow Ben and Narelle Robilliard to achieve a fast turnover for prime lambs in the New South Wales Riverina.
Poll Dorsets have long been a passion for the Douglas family, with Max Kenneth Douglas, 77, a third generation studmaster of Dorset sheep.
Consistency of performance is crucial for sheep producer Brad Smith and it’s what makes him a staunch advocate for the use of Poll Dorset rams.