Peter and Alison Young, of Briagolong, Victoria, will be turning off more lambs after making significant changes to their business model.
The couple sold a 350 hectare grazing property at nearby Stockdale, retaining their 250ha home farm.
Their two and three year old wethers and hogget lambs will graze the Stockdale property until after the next shearing, when the changed business model will be actioned.
Currently, Mr and Mrs Young retain most of their Merino lambs, because until now they have primarily been wool growers.
They also join Poll Dorset rams to a flock of 200 Merino ewes, turning off first-cross lambs.
"We've traditionally kept all young Merino stock because we've had the two properties," Mr Young said.
"Ewes lamb down at Briagolong, and Merino hoggets join the wethers on the Stockdale property.
"We sell the first cross lambs as weaned at 15-18-kilogram carcase weight, or if the season is poor we'll let them graze for longer so they get up to weight.
"I've still got 300 wether lambs that will be sold after shearing this spring."
Rams are Bindawarra Merino and Pinora Poll Dorsets.
"I feed faba beans to the ewes pre-joining to help them ovulate better."
In-lamb ewes are mobbed together for rotational grazing, as part of Mr Young's pasture management.
At marking, the lambing rate for Merinos is 80 per cent, with slightly better survival rates for the first-cross lambs.
"I used to graze the ewes in age groups, but then stuck them all together.
"Mobbing the ewes and rotationally grazing them seems to help with longevity of the perennial pastures."
Average paddock size for rotational grazing is 10ha and guardian alpacas graze alongside the ewes.
"Lambing is timed for spring when the weather is normally better.
"It's easier to carry a ewe through winter on her own, particularly if we don't get an autumn break.
"If I have a paddock that needs renovating, I'll grow brassica.
"I've also grown millet for grazing.
"Or I'll buy in lupins or faba beans to wean and finish the lambs."
Mr Young's model going forward will be to wean lambs in mid-November, shear them and then prepare them for sale in the new year.
"It's a numbers game depending on the season and the markets, and the numbers we're running."
Those decisions about where, when, why and how to sell will be even more critical from now on.
"From next season we'll be selling weaned Merino wethers into the meat market.
"I'll also run less ewes, which gives me flexibility.
"After shearing in November, I'll make the decision about what to turn off in January and February as stores."
Jeanette Severs
I research and write articles across a broad range of topics for an agricultural and rural readership. My hours of work are part-time - generally Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
I research and write articles across a broad range of topics for an agricultural and rural readership. My hours of work are part-time - generally Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
