| 77 ‘Freak of a lamb’ breaks records Ken Elliott with some Dolomite Stud Perendale ewes high up on Banks Peninsula. Ram lamb Dolomite 251-21 exhibiting outstanding genetics for growth rate. Photographed on April 8 at seven months. Stud sire Dolomite 216-19 has never had dag in his life exhibiting genetic gains made in breeding dag-free sheep. Richard Loader MEAT & WOOL » Dolomite Perendales Dolomite Perendales has produced a stand out lamb re ecting the huge genetic gains that the stud has made over the years. Dolomite 251/21 is a “freak of a lamb”, says stud owner Ken Elliott. Weaned out at 100 days at 49.8kgs, and at 200 days 63.5kgs; eye muscling scanning was 21.7. “That’s an exceptional animal by anyone’s books particularly as he has been raised only on unimproved hill-country pasture,” says Ken proudly. Ken has been quietly focusing on increasing genetic gain in targeted key traits with weaning weight breeding value being the key trait for selecting both stud sires and dams over the past 15 years. Attention is also focussed on eye muscle scanning and dag free-sheep. To assist this last trait he puts his hoggets through a period of no drenching to expose them to a worm burden between weaning and autumn live weight, weighing then ruthlessly culling any with dags and non-performers. He has now produced what he says is as close to a dagfree sheep as possible. “In my ock the sheep are easy care and 95% dag-free. I have just done pre-lamb crutching of all the ewes and didn’t have to touch them apart from pulling out the odd little dag on a few. Prior to shearing or sale they never go across the board to be dagged but maybe around 5% need a handshear for a few dags and that’s it.” That’s not to say Ken lets the other essential traits for a good sheep slip. It’s just that over decades of breeding things like wool and fertility reached a satisfactory level so it’s more about maintaining that now. For example the ock is achieving 185% scanning with 75% of ewes producing multiples including 9% scanning as having triplets. “That’s high enough for hill-country sheep farming,” says Ken. Wool is another trait he maintains at a constant level to retain good wool quality without necessarily increasing eece weights. Ken has never practiced second shearing, preferring annual shearing in November with lambs at foot. That once a year shearing trait is quite a cost saving for farmers. Typically Dolomite Perendales achieves 100-day live lamb weaning weight averages of 35-37kgs and 200-day weights of 45-50kgs. Figures have been higher but it is of course dependent on the climate. The genetic gain of Dolomite Perendales has been proven again and again. A ram was accepted into the Beef+Lamb NZ nationwide CPT (central progeny test) trial and across all maternal breed rams, at weaning the ram was the sixth best for maternal worth index out of 64 rams in the trial - a real achievement against all the top rams and breeders in the country. The stud was established by Ken and wife Jeanette in 1984 and it’s been a labour of love. Ken, who had a long career in the wool industry, had always had a passion to breed sheep so it was the ful lment of a lifelong dream. The 75ha property is genuine hill-country running to the summit (about 500 metres above sea level) overlooking Akaroa Harbour. Essentially southeast facing, it is late country prone to cold southerlies and prevailing easterly winds. In summer droughts are not uncommon. Lamb survival and wintering is testing and important to Ken’s breeding philosophy to breed tough sheep, which perform to expectations. Importantly sheep are not grazed off the property meaning they are bred to weather the tough conditions. Dolomite Perendales sell rams privately each year and Ken says there is always is good demand with buyers hailing from all over New Zealand. “That’s an exceptional animal by anyone’s books ...” CHRIS MANGELS 021 725 350 03 375 4700 chris.mangels@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 • High lamb growth rates • Almost dag-free sheep • Healthy active high-performance ewes essential for more profitable sheep farming • Progeny tests have proven the Dolomites studs outstanding lamb growth rates DOLOMITE PERENDALE STUD - Akaroa, Banks Peninsula - Take your ock to the next level with Dolomite Perendale rams ·DOLOMITE· PERENDALES For genetic gains that count book ram purchases now with Ken Elliott - 021 2214185 or ken.dolomite@gmail.com | www.perendale.co.nz
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