Committee Details
 |
Name: Noel O’Dempsey Role: Coordinator & Producer “Linallie” Texas Phone: 07 4653 1441 odempseyn@gmail.com |
Veterinarian and sheep producer Noel O’Dempsey has taken on the role of regional coordinator for Leading Sheep South region. Mr O’Dempsey runs fine wool sheep at “Linallie” in the Traprock country between Texas and Inglewood, and within that business he puts special emphasis on selecting sheep for worm resistance. He is an accredited facilitator and will work with the Leading Sheep South regional committee in pursuing knowledge and skills to help develop more profitable and productive sheep enterprises. Mr O’Dempsey was previously a sheep husbandry officer with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries for more than 20 years and also now runs a vet consultancy. |
 |
Name: Jed Sommerfield Role: Extension Officer DAF Charleville Phone: 07 4530 1256 jed.sommerfield@daf.qld.gov.au |
Jed grew up on a sheep and beef property, near Charleville in South-Western Queensland. At the University of Queensland (Gatton) he completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Animal Production/Rangeland Management). While at university he was able to gain access to methods of higher learning and increased his level expertise over a variety of industries and commercial enterprises. After completing his degree he continued to work in primary production namely at AMH Beef City west of Toowoomba, Fletchers International Exports in Dubbo, numerous private primary production enterprises and South West NRM based in Charleville. His practical experience in primary production industries over an extended period of time has exposed him to a wide variety of problems and solutions at different stages of the supply line and at different locations throughout Queensland and New South Wales. He recently started work as a DAF Extension Officer (Sheep and Beef) in Charleville and is looking forward to working with committee and producers from across this region and work with them to solve problems and offer solutions as part of the primary production industry. |
 |
Name: Tamara White Role: Producer “Riverview” Surat Phone: 0410 400 416 tamara.white@outlook.com.au |
Tamara is a fourth generation sheep and wool producer working on her parent’s property at Surat. In 2003, Tamara completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Agribusiness, Management & Marketing through the University of New England. Prior to moving back to the family farm in 2013, Tamara had a successful career in marketing within the Australian agricultural industry. Traditionally Merino wool growers, the White family now run a prime lamb operation producing grass fed lambs, achieving dressed weights between 20 to 25kg within 8 months. According to Tamara, the key to their success has been the introduction of Dorper genetics and optimising breeding objectives to meet the demands of consumer markets. Tamara is a passionate prime lamb producer who is keen to become an ‘agvocat’ of the Australian Sheep & Wool Industry. She is particularly interested in utilising her marketing skills to assist industry with positioning True Aussie Lamb™ as the protein of choice in both domestic and international markets. Tamara believes in identifying and implementing best practice to ensure the family’s prime lamb operation remains ethical, sustainable and most importantly, profitable. |
 |
Name: Bruce Toms Role: Producer “Beltana” Stanthorpe Phone: 07 4685 6075 flockscan@gmail.com |
Bruce Toms along with his wife Melinda and sons Clancy and Dougal own “Beltana”, a 4600 acre sheep property west of Stanthorpe. They run 2000 Merino and Merino/SAMM cross ewes using Dohne rams. A graduate of Longreach Pastoral College, he has worked on Merino studs in the Riverina and in Western Australia. Bruce has also held sheep and wool positions with Elders and more recently Landmark and currently Fox and Lillie Rural. In 2011 he started Flockscan, a sheep ultrasound pregnancy scanning business. Bruce is a registered wool classer and Dohne assessor and has recently been appointed to the Traprock Group sheep committee. |
 |
Name: Peter Campbell Role: Producer “Wyambeh” Roma peter.campbell53@gmail.com |
On 23,000 acres Peter Campbell runs a SRS Poll Merino Stud with 400 stud ewes at present with all sheep listed on Sheep Genetics with full ASBV’s; 4,000 commercial sheep and about 400 breeders of cattle and their progeny. When the marsupial and wild dog, 1.5 metre 16 wire stocklock netting Clipex fence, is completed next year Peter would expect to double his sheep numbers. Peter ran a traditional Egelabra daughter stud for 10 years before he joined the SRS system in 2000. He breeds for 18 to 19 micron wool, with the main emphasis on eye muscle and fat cover in carcass traits, on a wrinkle free sheep. He also enters his rams in Sire Evaluations to gauge their progeny’s performance. Peter graduated from Longreach Pastoral College in 1970 and has been on the family property all his life which they have had for 88 years.
|
 |
Name: Don Perkins Role: Producer “Nelyambo” Dirranbandi Phone: 07 4625 8686 dbperkins@bigpond.com |
Don Perkins runs a woolgrowing and breeding property at Dirranbandi with his wife, Belinda and sons Tom, Lachie and Nicholas. His main focus is to improve the productivity of the property through pasture improvement and genetic gains. He is also particularly interested in investigating ways to improve the communication between woolgrowers and their customers with a view of better supplying what the customer requires. Don thinks that Leading Sheep has a role to play in boosting the morale of Queensland sheep producers. |