With strong prices for wool and lamb remaining over 2017/18, wool levelling at 2011c/kg and lamb at $6.20/kg, the sheep game is looking positive for Haddon Rig and our clients. As such, Haddon Rig is expanding our sheep enterprise, increasing the area of sheep fodder under irrigation and making significant investments to the Merino and Poll Stud to ensure we are producing Sires that will help our clients capitalise on these record prices.
With the 2018 Show and Sale season now started, Haddon Rig is enjoying seeing the next generation of genetics coming through in both the Merino and Poll Merino Studs. We weighed our current 2017 March-drop Poll and Merinos in April 2018, which averaged over 80kgs. We are also eagerly watching the superb progeny of HR Merinos 5-29 and 5-95 as well as the Poll Merinos, who are looking really big and have maintained excellent quality. We are very happy with the industry position of the Poll Stud, we now have a solid breeding base and good traction in our long-term breeding strategy.
We look forward to offering a quality selection of progeny from HR 150029 and 150095 at the 2018 Sale to be held on September 13, 2018 at Haddon Rig. We will be offering over 150 Merinos and 50 Poll Merinos at the 2-tooth Auction and Andy Maclean says that he has never seen such a promising group of young Stud Sires.
HR Merino HR170085 won the Reserve Champion Merino in the Lamb’s Teeth Strong Wool class (March shorn) as well as the Reserve Champion in the Strong Wool Ram section.
HR Merino 170246 won the Medium Wool Lamb’s Tooth class and was titled Reserve Champion in the Medium Wool Overall Section.
2018 will see a change in the Haddon Rig Stud Classing arrangement, with Stuart Murdoch newly appointed as a Haddon Rig Classer from July 1st. Stuart will be working closely with Andy McLeod and Forbes Murdoch to carry on with Haddon Rig’s breeding program. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andy McLeod on behalf of the Falkiner family and the Haddon Rig team for his remarkable contribution and commitment to the Haddon Rig Stud. Andy’s expertise and mastery of the wool trade have ensured the Haddon Rig genetics have remained at the top of the industry and that our bloodlines continue to improve, year on year. Please ensure you speak to Andy about the transition.
With the price of water increasing, we are evaluating our production systems to see where we can increase water-use efficiency and develop drought-mitigation infrastructure. This includes a second centre pivot and a Boyd automated lamb feeding system. We will be looking to increase our on-farm grain and feed storage to mitigate against price hikes in feed during drier periods. We will be showcasing these new innovations and our top Grade Rams at our On-Farm Open day to be held on Wednesday August 22nd 2018.
