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Market prices confirm Wiltipoll potential - April 1998

Abstract:
For Annie and John Hughes of Kars Station, Broken Hill, taking the step from Wiltshire Horn to Wiltipoll adds to the benefits of less work, less care and less cost. The new breed has attracted much interest from prime lamb producers, with Annie and John receiving orders for rams from every state and territory excluding the Northern Territory. The Wiltipoll is naturally a large lean lamb, very suitable to service the overseas lamb cuts trade.

On April 16, Annie and John Hughes of Kars Station, Broken Hill, unveiled their new enterprise in meat lambs at Gepps Cross saleyards.

A consignment of 810 first cross Wiltshire Horn Merino wether lambs sold at a top price of $42 dollars and averaged $36.22.

This consignment attracted a lot of interest :not only was this anew breed on the scene but the are of origin is not noted for its prime lamb.

Now, one year on, the breeding program has progressed to a second cross Wiltipoll - a no horns sheep.

A consignment of 294 second cross Wiltipoll wether lambs were recently sold on property to T & R Pastoral for a net price of $38.50, equivalent to about $43 at Gepps Cross.

These lambs were May-June 1996 drop and pastured on green natural grasses plus saltbush and bluebush. The country dried off in September to leave a good supply of dry feed. Summer rains did provide a green pick to go with the dry feed until the lambs were delivered early April.

The consignment of 294 comprised of the total wether lambs drop and the figures from the kill sheet clearly show that the breed can handle conditions in the pastoral area. The tabulated details are taken from the kill sheet).

The only care given apart from feed and water was for marking and tailing.

Chris Thomas, T & R Pastoral, made the purchase and Ashley Burns of Elders, Broken Hill, was the selling agent.

Chris' comments after followup after slaughter were: "The carcasses were very suitable for their export market. There was very little excess fat, muscling was satisfactory and there was no spear grass damage. The skins did have a low appeal to skin buyers due to ragged wool because some lambs were shedding their fleece."

Taking the step from Wiltshire Horn to Wiltipoll adds to the benefits of less work, less care and less cost. The new breed has attracted much interest from prime lamb producers, with Annie and John receiving orders for rams from every state and territory excluding the Northern Territory.

Lamb exports are underpinning the prime lamb industry, with boneless and lamb portions growing in demand and finding their way to a wide range of destinations.

The Wiltipoll is naturally a large lean lamb, very suitable to service the overseas lamb cuts trade.

A big plus for lambs produced in the pastoral area is that they can be marketed as organically grown.