2024 Drop – Bathurst, Central Tablelands
The MerinoLink 2024 Sire Evaluation Site is being hosted by the Owens Family of “Nanena” near Bathurst. The Owens family have been operating a merino sheep enterprise since 1912, with them currently running 7,000 to 8,000 ewes.
Site Breeding Objective:
To breed sheep that produce heavy cutting fine wool fleeces (15.5 to 17.5 micron) on a moderate frame size with high reproduction rates whilst ensuring quality fleeces that are lustrous white with good length and strength that are resistant to fleece rot and dust penetration. Importance is placed on traits such as fleece weight, fibre diameter, body weight and weaning rates to produce highly profitable progeny whilst also focusing on poll genetics, plainer skin types and body types to assist with the move to a non mulesed flock
Further enquires can be directed to admin@merinolink.com.au
2022 Drop – Bathurst, Central Tablelands
Site Breeding Objective:
To breed sheep that produce a fine, bright, white, quality fleece and of sound conformation (including feet) suitable for
the Tablelands environment; maintaining a micron of 17-18, increasing staple length for a short shearing interim. A
selection pressure for low breech wrinkle, plainer bodied types (non-mulesed) is applied, with a focus on increased
size/fertility to enable a younger maiden joining and wether sales.
The site hosted 14 sires, the preliminary results for the drop are available here
Further enquires can be directed to admin@merinolink.com.au
2021 Drop – Bathurst, Central Tablelands
Site Breeding Objective:
To breed sheep that produce a fine, bright, white, quality fleece and of sound conformation (including feet) suitable for the Tablelands environment; maintaining a micron of 17-18, increasing staple length for a short shearing interim whilst maintaining the fleece weight. A selection pressure on a free growing body, with a focus on increased size/fertility to enable a younger maiden joining and wether sales.
The site evaluated 16 sires including 2 link sires. 55 ewes were joined to each sire via AI on 27 and 28 April 2021. The ewes were scanned at day 45 which resulted in a success rate of 82% in lamb including triplets. Lambing commenced on 20 September 2021 and was completed on 3 October 2021 (13 day spread).
Due to the large percentage of lambs that were born and survived, the triplet lambs were removed from the trial. This left 207 singles and 681 twins totalling 888 in the trial. This trial is nearly at its completion. Results for the 2021 drop are available here.
Further enquires can be directed to admin@merinolink.com.au
2019 Drop – Yass and Boorowa
The program will fully evaluate thirteen sires at each site (26 in total) and accommodate three (3) link sires. Ewes will be Artificially Inseminated late February 2019. Ewes will lamb down in mobs of singles and twins to maximize lamb survival. The progeny will be DNA Parent Tested to identify sire and dam pedigree at marking. Lambs will be tagged two to three weeks after lambing and run in one mob for the remainder of the evaluation.
Yass
“Cavan” Station has again hosted the 2019 MerinoLink Sire Evaluation. “Cavan” Station is a historic property located along the Murrumbidgee River in the Southern Tablelands, South of Yass, NSW. The ewe flock will be run on “Ravenswood” which is a specific sub-part of “Cavan”, well suited to running the sire evaluation. 1,500 3 year, 4 year and 5 year old ewes have been purchased from a long standing Bogo Merino ram client. 800 of these ewes will be used for the 2017 Sire Evaluation program.
Boorowa
Robert & Bridget Chudleigh of “Brooklyn”, Frogmore have kindly offered to host the second 2019 MerinoLink Sire Evaluation site. Located 40km north-east of Boorowa this site provided a ewe base of 1000 Roseville Park blood medium framed ewes with free growing soft handling wools selected and classed to be free from visual and conformation faults.
- 2019 drop Yearling Assessment (Yass)
- 2019 drop Post Weaning Assessment (Yass)
- 2019 drop Post Weaning Assessment (Boorowa)
2017 Drop – Cavan Station
The program will fully evaluate a maximum of thirteen (13) rams and accommodate three (3) link sires. Ewes will be Artificially Inseminated late February 2017 (28th Feb and 1st March 2017). Ewes will lamb down in mobs of singles and twins to maximize lamb survival. The progeny will be DNA Parent Tested to identify sire and dam pedigree at marking. Lambs will be tagged two to three weeks after lambing and run in one mob for the remainder of the evaluation.
Progeny will be assessed at 10 months of age and then again at 22 months of age (visual and objective assessments) in line with the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA) requirements.
Ewe Base and Host Property Information
“Cavan” Station has kindly offered to host the 2017 MerinoLink Sire Evaluation. “Cavan” Station is a historic property located along the Murrumbidgee River in the Southern Tablelands, South of Yass, NSW. The ewe flock will be run on “Ravenswood” which is a specific sub-part of “Cavan”, well suited to running the sire evaluation. 1,500 3 year, 4 year and 5 year old ewes have been purchased from a long standing Bogo Merino ram client. 800 of these ewes will be used for the 2017 Sire Evaluation program.
Sires being evaluated -Bundilla 140055 (Link); Hazeldean 11.3542 (Link); Centre Plus 407185 (Link); Bogo 500300, Pooginook Poll 125188; Rocklyn Merinos 120182; Woodpark Poll 150106; Centre Plus 307603; Hazeldean 13.4936; GRASS 142000; Adina 124156; Nerstane 150076; Greendale 150018; Boudjah P0005; Centre Plus WA 338205; Hazeldean 204030.
Download the reports
2016 Drop
The 2016 program is evaluating ten (10) sires and two (2) link sires. Ewes were Artificially Inseminated mid February 2016. AI ewes lambed down in sire groups in separate paddocks in mid July, 2016. Lambs were tagged approximately two weeks after lambing and have been run in one mob for the remainder of the evaluation.
Progeny have been assessed at 10 months of age and then again at 22 months of age (visual and objective assessments) in line with the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA) requirements.
Sires being evaluated – Bogo 400130; Bundilla Poll 140055; Collingwood 140200; Gullen Gamble 121070; Leahcim Poll 090918; Mumblebone 130389; Pastora Poll 140564; Pooginook Poll 140961; Rocklyn Merinos 140296; The Yanko 130003; Woodpark Poll 120342; Yarrawonga 140961
Download the reports
2015 Drop
The 2015 program is evaluating 17 sires, including link, common and a historic sire. Ewes were Artificially Inseminated late February 2015. AI ewes lambed down in sire groups in separate paddocks in mid July, 2015. Lambs were tagged approximately two weeks after lambing and have been run in one mob for the remainder of the evaluation.
Progeny have been assessed at 10 months of age and then again at 22 months of age (visual and objective assessments) in line with the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA) requirements.
Sires evaluated – Billandri Poll 121391; Bundilla Poll 120013; Centre Plus 307564; Centre Plus 000183 (historic sire); Hazeldean 003542; Kerin Poll 130980; Mumblebone 130850; Mumblebone 130389; Pastora Poll 131634; Pastora Poll 130011; Pooginook Poll 130083; Rocklyn Merinos 130022; Roseville Park 140019; Wattledale / CP 337919; Wattledale 130115; Willandra Poll 120026 (Desmond); Woodpark Poll 130431
Download the reports
- 2015 drop Yearling, Hogget and Adult Assessment
- 2015 drop Yearling and Hogget Assessment
- 2015 drop Yearling Assessment