Boree Park to host inaugural ram sale on farm at Dinninup

Dinninup-based Boree Park White Suffolk stud is gearing up for its first ram sale this year, with between 120-150 rams bred specifically for the WA market in the line-up.

The stud is part of the Rhodes Pastoral operation and is planning to host the sale at a new ram selling complex which is under construction on farm, on Tuesday, October 10.

Stud principal Michael Potter said the sale rams would be the top of the pick, selected from a base of 500 that have been bred with a focus on good growth rate, fat content for lamb survival, high fertility and good eating quality.

“The rams will have full pedigrees and figures on display, and they are all DNA and genomics tested and tailored to the WA market,” Mr Potter said.

In the lead up to the ram sale, there will be an on farm open day on July 25 for farmers and breeders with sheep of all types, with industry speakers discussing issues related to biosecurity, electronic ID’s, sheep genetics and traits to look for.

Mr Potter said it was open to everyone and a good opportunity for attendees to ask questions around those issues from experts in the field.

He said with the rapid growth of the stud enterprise there was a need to have enough quality rams to match the business model, which included being able to breed their own.

Boree Park was established in 2017 with 180 mated ewes from Langley Heights White Suffolk stud near Oberon, NSW, and also from Millswyn White Suffolk stud, Katandra, Victoria.

Future rams were then purchased from WA breeders at Golden Hill stud, Kukerin, Ida Vale White Suffolk stud, Kojonup, and Kohat stud, Ongerup to grow the flock up until 2022 when they were able to purchase all of the Ida Vale stud.

“Those ewes really expanded our flock size,” Mr Potter said.

“We used their genetics to really turbo charge our stud.”

Last year, Boree Park purchased the Ida Vale stud to boost its numbers to almost 1000 ewes in the 2023 season and “expand into the stud selling arena” with a focus on WA.

Mr Potter said about two to four rams are purchased each year to add to the stud’s genetic pool, and semen had also been purchased Australia wide for a “large AI program which is able to provide good genetics to WA growers”.

“With 980 stud ewes joined in 2022, to multiple leading sires from Australia wide, it will ensure a broad range of genetics for all business models,” Mr Potter said.

Rhodes Pastoral joins 9000 Poll Merino ewes annually using White Suffolk rams, supplying V&V Walsh at Bunbury for the fat lamb market.

“Our business model is one of easy lambing, so small lambs, with fast growing qualities,” Mr Potter said.

“With genomics and DNA testing we aim for high fertility, good growth rate and most importantly good eating quality for the fat lamb market.”