SHOWING Suffolk sheep at the Royal Adelaide Show has been an proud annual tradition for four generations of the Day family.
Allendale – the oldest Suffolk stud in Australia – has exhibited continuously since 1935 when the late Allen E Day won champion Suffolk ram and champion and reserve champion ewe in a stellar debut.
Graham and Prue Day took the stud to the top of the meat sheep seedstock industry and now Graham's son Alastair and wife Jayne are continuing the dynasty with their children – 16-year-old Eliza and 14-year-old Angus.
It remains one of the nation’s largest Suffolk studs, running 160 ewes.
Throughout the years, the Bordertown-based stud has won many tri-coloured ribbons, including a golden run in the 1980s.
It has enjoyed similar success at the Royal Melbourne Show, including interbreed champion ram in 2016, but Alastair says there is something special about Adelaide.
“It is the best meat sheep show in Australia and it is our local show,” he said.
Last year, in a remarkable feat, Allendale showed both the champion short wool ewe, a Suffolk, and reserve champion with a Poll Dorset ewe.
Allendale has entered a large team for the 2017 Suffolk feature showing, with 20 head, while also exhibiting 21 Poll Dorsets.
Nearly 250 sheep from five states of Australia – one of the breed’s largest ever displays – will be in the showring before judge Ian Gilmore, Baringa White Suffolk and Border Leicester studs, Oberon, NSW.
Alastair – the Suffolk Sheep Society of SA president – says the black faced breed has regained its popularity in the past decade with its ease of lambing, carcase quality and hardiness.
It is the best meat sheep show in Australia and it is our local show.
- ALASTAIR DAY
“We have a good market for them,” he said.
“Suffolks test very well for intramuscular fat and shear force.
“The breed is also popular to be used for identification purposes for crossbred lambs.
“Some well-respected breeders have re-established Suffolk studs so they must see something they can’t find in the other breeds.”
Graham agrees Suffolks are well-placed as a terminal sire, especially with the move towards value-based payment on hooks.
”Meat quality is going to be a big part of the top end of the prime lamb market,” he said.
“It has been a well-known fact for many years the Southdown sheep has some of the highest quality meat and any of their crosses, such as Hampshire Downs and Suffolks, also have those qualities.”
Allendale’s Suffolk stud was founded in 1931 at Alma, in the Lower North, with 10 top quality ewes and lambs bought at a dispersal at Buckland Park.
The late Allen E Day’s initial idea was to use the ram lambs as flock rams, but he was pursued by neighbour WS Kelly to put them into the stud flock book.
“Father had always been interested in livestock breeding with horses and pigs, but it took 8-10 months to talk him into registering them (the Suffolks),” Graham said.
In 1938, the Day family established a Dorset Horn stud and were also one of 17 foundation White Suffolk breeders in the mid 1980s.
Throughout the years, Allendale’s Suffolk bloodlines have influenced many studs in Australia.
They have also sold sheep into South America, India, South Africa, China, Japan and New Zealand.
The stud set a new Australian Suffolk record at its 2016 on-property sale with a ram selling to Jeff McCallum, Willochra Props, Melrose, for $14,000.
Alastair says one of the most enjoyable aspects of stud breeding is seeing the results of his mating decisions.
“If you get it right, the best thing is to see what you can breed – a tremendous sheep with good structure,” he said.
“We are trying to breed a good meat sheep that is easy care, moderate size with nice hindquarters.
“We are always aiming to produce a more even product.”
The Suffolk judging will be held at 9am on Saturday, September 2.