Next generation of Merino breeders place sheep production in the black

Do Merinos make money?

That was the question directed at Gnowangerup Merino breeders Timm and Fraser House, who run the Barloo and Willemenup studs with their parents, Richard and Cindy House.

“We turn out 10 to 12 month old lambs at up to 65kg live weight that cut as much as 5kg of wool,” Fraser said.

“That represents quick returns and they stack up to any crossbred lambs.”

Fraser said their selection of early maturity and good conformation achieved good growth rates.

“We recorded 105 per cent lambing with our flock this year that produced 8500 commercial June to July drop lambs,” he said.

“Our breeding objectives have been proven with early growth consistency and increased production.”

Fraser, 23, and Tim, 27, both have returned to their family farm in the last three years after graduating from Marcus Oldham College in Geelong, Victoria.

“Dad likes to say the farm’s management has been given a boost with the next generation,” Timm said.

“Our sheep management includes confined feeding which gives us more control.

“We run a 50/50 sheep and cropping program and our 600 bale wool clip averages 19.8 micron.”

The House family will offer two rams of the 16 up for sale at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo and Sale on August 19 starting at 11am at the Katanning Leisure Centre.

It will be the first time they will offer one of their own Willemenup Poll Merino rams, after purchasing the stud flock and prefix from the Garnett family in 2019.

Richard said the Gnowangerup-based Willemenup stud, established in 1968, was one of the best Poll Merino studs in WA and represented an opportunity to bring more Poll Merino depth into his family’s enterprise.

The ram the House family will offer at Katanning, Willemenup tag 269, was awarded first place in its medium wool production class at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo last month.

The 19.4 micron double poll ram, was sired by Willemenup Maximus 195 and weighed 116kg.

Fraser said Willemenup 269 had good growth and wool production and carried well-made conformation.

“If anything, farmers should run more sheep, and yes, Merinos are very profitable,” he said.