The old adage that everything happens for a reason has well and truly rung true at Horizon Christian School, with an inadvertent entry into breeding Piebald Merinos turning into a highly successful venture for the Balaklava school.
In April 2018, as the school's Merino ewes were lambing down, agriculture teacher Jessica Bernhardt noticed some dark splotches on one of the newest ram lambs. By the end of lambing, another 'Dalmatian' lamb was born and, following consults with scientists and veterinarians, it was confirmed the lambs were purebred Merino with the Australian Piebald Merino gene being expressed.
"The Piebald colouring is a recessive trait, but it's partially penetrating, so even if you've got both of those genes, there is still only a very small chance that the gene will be expressed," Ms Bernhardt said.
"Typically in a Merino wool operation, lambs with colours and markings are removed from the flock early to avoid contamination or white wool at shearing.
"But we saw these two unique looking sheep as a brilliant teaching tool for a focus on genetics, and retained them in the herd."
The ram lamb, Denzel, and ewe lamb, Kinder (a surprise), were mated, and after the second lambing, Jessica said it was an "easy decision" to continue with the Piebalds.
Targeted joining since then, and sourcing Piebalds from across SA and interstate, has helped to grow the Piebald numbers. About 20 ewes are used for Piebald breeding - some which are white but kept because they consistently birth spotted lambs.
We have a number of people who regularly order (the wool), and we've sent wool across Australia as well as to New Zealand.
Ms Bernhardt said the wool has been in high demand by handspinners and weavers, and has been fetching prices of up to $25 a kilogram, compared with Merino wool at about $8/kg.
"That first year, we advertised the wool on Gumtree, not really knowing how it would go, and it sold very quickly to a handspinner in Adelaide," she said.
"Now we have a number of people who regularly order it, and we've sent wool across Australia as well as to New Zealand.
"We have been featured in a few handspinners and weavers journals, which has got the word out there, and we even have a waiting list for this season's clip."
This year, Horizein Piebald Merino Stud has launched, with the stud entirely run by the eight students in the year 12 agriculture cohort.
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The students have been responsible for stock management, nutrition, breeding decisions and finances, all tasks which Ms Bernhardt said had been handled with aplomb.
"When the students leave school, they'll be able to walk into a committee meeting and hold their own very well, or could easily start work on a property and succeed," she said.
"They have worked out invoices, come up with fundraising ideas, and have stepped up to the plate with running the logistics, I've been very impressed."
I definitely want to keep in contact with the school to see how the breeding program goes in the future.
- EMMA OWEN
Year 12 student Emma Owen, who is secretary of the stud, enjoyed all aspects of being involved.
"When we decided to shake it up and breed to keep getting the colours, it was a really fun change, and made us very unique," she said.
"I definitely want to keep in contact with the school to see how the breeding program goes in the future."
Ms Berhnardt intends to keep year 12 agricultural students in charge of the stud each year.
"All our year 12s have really enjoyed it this year, it's been a highlight for them and there is a big sense of pride with them (in regards to running the stud)," she said.
"This year's grade 11s have heard and seen what the year 12s are doing, and they are itching to take over next year."
And with good support shown for the program from the wider schooling and farming community, Ms Bernhardt expects the Piebalds to be a success well into the future.
"We have a farm committee at school, which includes a lot of key farmers in the district, and they love that we are teaching kids how to actually run a farm enterprise, with the admin and life skills as well as the livestock knowledge," she said.
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