FOR the fifth consecutive year, Galaxy Park Prime SAMMs has taken the top title in the lamb production – maternal breeds competition.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
One ram and two ewes, under 1.5 years, from each entrant are objectively and subjectively assessed.
The objective measurements use Lambplan to find the Australian Sheep Breeding Values measurements for growth, fat, muscle and greasy fleece weight.
![MEATY ENTRANT: Champion lamb production - terminal winners Clayton, Charles, Andrea and Henry Rowett, Ulandi Park, Marrabel. This is the second time the stud has won the competition. MEATY ENTRANT: Champion lamb production - terminal winners Clayton, Charles, Andrea and Henry Rowett, Ulandi Park, Marrabel. This is the second time the stud has won the competition.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3AVQXXVxehY6aUCkmGUt6Z2/786b0d4e-16b1-4078-8262-066cbae8b44e.jpg/r187_240_2720_1787_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
On the day, judges assess structure and soundness – including mobility, feet and legs, scrotal circumference and testicular firmness – as well as skin, wool, and breed type, market suitability and uniformity, for points out of 100.
Galaxy Park principal Geoff Gale, Monarto South, held this competition in high regard as it “takes in all the aspects of breeding ewes and rams in one class”.
“As a dual-purpose breed, we have to concentrate on improving both sides and here we have a team of experts come along and tell us how we are going,” he said.
Mr Gale said, along with the ribbon, the competition provided a way of evaluating the stud and breeding program against previous years.
But it was somewhat disappointing to not have other competitors in the maternal competition this year, he said.
Mr Gale believes a strong competition can have benefits for breeders.
“I always like to be pressured to keep improving,” he said. “You can get a bit complacent without competition.”
The winner of the lamb production – terminal breeds was Ulandi Park, Marrabel. It was the second time the stud had won this competition.
Ulandi Park principal Clayton Rowett entered the competition because he believed his Poll Dorsets would meet the criteria.
“We’ve got very good skins and the sheep are suitable for lamb production,” he said.
Mr Rowett said it was a good way to check on the commercial focus of the breeding program.
Ulandi Park was two points ahead of Poll Dorsets from Bill and Angela Close’s Newbold stud, Gawler River, in second place.
This was a reversal of last year’s placings, when Newbold was named first and Ulandi Park second.
RV Piggott & Son, Illoura White Suffolk & Poll Dorset stud, Moorlands, was third.