| Having run Merinos for three generations, James and Sue Stirton are now spreading their options between meat and wool by running Dohne rams over their Merino ewes.
“We’re planning to have a Dohne-Merino based flock which we don’t believe will alter our wool production but will add more meat potential,” said Sue Stirton from “Armoobilla” near Cheepie, in south west Queensland.
“In our country we need to have options and we believe that this way we will still be able to achieve our 19-21 micron wool but also produce a lamb that will boost the overall enterprise income.”
The Stirtons believe the Dohne-Merino is as durable in the mulga country in drought as the Merino, and although the wool clip may come back slightly the meaty lamb will more than make up for that.
They tested the waters with the Dohnes for the past two years and found the sheep handled the drought and foraged well, and are now moving into a more intensive breeding situation.
“They are better suited to our country, and even in drought they produced a lamb of a size to go into the meat market.”
“We sold the wether portion of the lambs at four months and retained the ewes to build the flock.”
“This move will spread our options over three choices within our operation. Before we had cattle and wool-producing sheep, but now we are aiming to have cattle, and both wool- and meat-producing sheep.”
Sue is a member of the Leading Sheep South West regional committee, which is producer-driven network identifying and hosting a range of activities to help improve the profitability and productivity of the Queensland sheep and wool industry.
Leading Sheep is an initiative of Australian Wool Innovation in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and supported by AgForce.
For information, contact Leading Sheep South West coordinator Ken Wilson on 4668 6737 or email belmorewilson@bigpond.com, or Geoff Knights on 07 4620 8121 or geoff.knights@dpi.qld.gov.au | 
