PRIME lamb producers have the opportunity to fast-track into breeding Australia’s best maternal genetics with Cloven Hills’ first online ewe sale, via Auctions Plus, this Tuesday, 8th December @ 12pm.
Ewes/Ewe Lambs with Cloven Hills bloodlines are welcome in the Auctions Plus Sale under the selling farm’s agent; don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions.
Colin and Jill Smith are long-term Cloven Hills clients, purchasing our rams “since they began selling” and run a self-replacing flock of around 5500 Composite ewes, retaining 1500 to 1600 of their annual ewe lamb drop.
While using our rams alongside genetics from other studs, Colin says our increasing focus on rigorous selection for quality prime lambs from moderately-sized ewes, fall perfectly in line with Grassdale’s production objectives – increased kilograms of lamb per hectare.
“We’re very conscious of adult ewe size – ease of handling and the ability to run more in the paddock,” he says.
“We’ve found that animal to animal, oversize ewes are no more productive than a more moderate ewe and (smaller ewes) turn off better store lambs.
“We’ve been scanning lambs in the high 160s.”
Colin says the low-maintenance and high-resilience of running a Cloven Hills-based operation makes our ewes an ideal starting point for prime lamb production.
“They’re very good mothers and I think that’s a reflection of Cloven Hills’ genetics,” he says.
“And we have good results with lambing; we let the ewe lambs grow out for the first 12 months, running them pretty much like wethers before joining and generally don’t have any trouble with them; they just do their own thing.
“Generally, we don’t have much trouble with them at all.”
For further information phone us on 0409 784 340 or 5579 8519.