Our breeding strategy focusing on a true dual-purpose sheep that targets merino fleece, prime lambs and the surplus ewe market opportunities.
Our genetic achievements;
- Merino fleece quality and cut per head, with an average adult 18.7 micron at a cut of 7.8kgs. We are increasing staple length and strength as we select towards a plainer sheep.
- While leading the way in levels of Merino fertility with an average of 143% weaning over 25 years, we have set our next goal at 150% by 2020. Such fertility levels are a great profit driver, allowing for rapid genetic gain and a 90 per cent turnover of flock genetics every three years.
- Selecting for worm resistance and resilience has been ongoing since 1993 and we have found positive correlations with reproduction traits, such as twinning ewes carrying 12% less worms compared to singles.
- Continued focus on early high growth rates, muscle and fat while maintaining improved Merino fleece returns per head is a major part of Bundilla 40 years of breeding towards the Bundilla Poll.
- Improved early puberty with 70% of classed ewe lambs being joined at 7 months of age at 45kg+.
- Great importance is placed on sheep conformation and body structure, as improved growth and muscling is built into the flock.
- The Bundilla Stud and commercial flock is run at a winter stocking rate of 14 DSE.
- To continue to benchmark the progress of our genetics through Sire Evaluation, wether trials, Sheep Genetics. We have entered 3 sires in 3 Separate sire evaluations across eastern Australia.
