Producing maternal composite ewes is an increasingly popular way for farmers to reduce cost in their sheep production, according to Days Whiteface owner Lachy Day.
He described maternal composites as mixing a combination of breeds to produce an efficient and fertile ewe with the best traits of each breed selected.
“The idea is to be able to self-replace ewes with the traits you want, which will be cheaper than buying a new flock of ewes to mate each season,” he said.
“You have more control over the genetics you are producing and you’re safeguarding yourself more in terms of biosecurity, as you know your flock’s history and health.”
Mr Day started his maternal composites with a White Suffolk base, and added East Friesian, Finn, Texel, Coopworth and Border Leicester breeds, among others.
He started to breed maternal composites after some of his terminal White Suffolk clients wanted to move from a first-cross ewe flock to a self-replacing flock.
Mr Day said demand had increased in SA in the past 15 years.
“The interest in maternal composites started in western Vic, then it moved across to Mount Gambier and crept north-west,” he said.
Lachy runs the business with his wife Lou and parents Graham and Prue.
Their 1000-hectare property, eight kilometres south of Bordertown, runs 150 maternal composite ewes, 350 White Suffolk ewes, 220 registered Poll Hereford cows and 100 commercial cows.
