The Dohne’s influence over the national sheep flock during the past 18 years has been profound. The growth rates, carcass shape, fecundity, doing ability and quality apparel wool has the Dohne at the forefront of the Australian sheep industry. FERTILITY $ MEAT WOOL ADBA Mission Statement The Australian Dohne Breeders Association’s mission is to professionally develop a Superior Dual Purpose sheep with a Marketing Edge, which is Competitive in meeting the Present and Changing Needs of the Livestock Markets, the Consumer and the Industry. THE ASSOCIATION seeks to achieve this mission by: • Maintaining the integrity of the breed whilst developing its positive traits, to achieve premiums in the market place, both nationally and internationally. • Developing breeder’s skills by providing high quality, accredited educational courses and practical workshops, which meet the diverse needs of the membership and the industry. 2 President’s Message JOHN NADIN Nationally, 2669 rams sold at auction characteristics of the Australian ADBA President for a 91% clearance and a $1603 sheep flock. OTHER BREEDS have been trying to average. Fertility is the ultimate profit emulate the Dohne, but the rigid Regardless of the current wool driver. Net Lambs Born (NLB) EBV breeding philosophy of nearly 100 market, commercial Dohne breeders advantage of Dohne rams that have years puts the Dohne a long way realise the importance of the entered the Merino Superior Sires ahead. ‘whole’ economic package; their comparison, averages 22% higher The Dohne is a credible breed wool achieves the same price as the than the Merino. recognised and respected throughout traditional Merino, they mark and The Dohne tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Chile is shaping up the industry. This has come about by wean 20-30% more lambs and the ‘doing ability’ is second to none. to be a magnificent event and I members producing a quality product The Dohne’s maternal, growth, have encouraged both stud and and an active council upholding the meat and fertility traits make it commercial Breeders to attend. founding objectives. suited to various self-replacing The real dual-purpose attributes Dohne breeders are to be production systems. This versatility coupled with fertility and hardiness congratulated on their sale results for has the Dohne responsible for has seen the Dohne become a major 2017 amidst a bullish wool market. the improvement in the maternal influence globally. History Of The Dohne SINCE ITS inception (South Africa and wool traits, it presented the been the foundation of the Dohne’s 1939) the aim of the Dohne has opportunity to have a true dual success. The following economic been well defined, with the breeding purpose sheep, which provided an traits are recorded: objective to improve meat, wool and alternative to the fine or medium • Body Weight at weaning and reproductive traits. wool Merinos, and specialist prime post weaning, The initial cross was between a lamb breeds or composites that have • Wool Weight and Fibre Diameter Peppin Merino and the German been traditionally used in sheep at post weaning, Mutton Merino. This was a “one off” enterprises. • Eye Muscle Depth and Fat Depth cross and progeny were interbred and The maternal qualities of the at post weaning. selected for high fertility, rapid lamb Dohne ewe proved perfect for Ethically, as an apparel wool growth, mothering abilities and the Australian conditions. They are producer the Dohne stands production of quality Merino wool. survivors – resilient and fertile. They alone with a natural bare breech The Dohne presented a very are natural mothers who produce eliminating the need for mulesing. different alternative for Australian quality apparel Merino wool and rear The popularity of the breed has sheep producers. The breed was first high performance lambs. seen the Dohne spread to all major introduced to Australia in 1998 and Full pedigree, modern objective sheep producing countries: the South the Australian breed society formed breeding techniques coupled with Americas, New Zealand and minor in 2000. stringent subjective classing to sheep producing countries: Russia, With emphasis on both meat maintain breed standards have North America, China. 3 GROSS MARGINS “The Dohne is the most profitable in varied locations, which is not surprising given their dual purpose nature”. • The Curnows aim for a moderate framed, efficient and fertile Dohne ewe cutting an average of 5kg of 21 micron wool, and raising multiple lambs to weaning. Dohnes Push Gross Margin In Low Rainfall CHRIS AND ANN CURNOW and decided to conduct an on-farm International, with a consignment Avon, Adelaide Plains South Australia comparison trial between Merino last June averaging 25.2kg dressed HEAVIER CARCASS weights, lambing and Dohne-Merino cross lambs. weight, and returning $170.15 ease and higher marking percentages “We compared the body and fleece (including a $7 skin). of Dohne sheep have resulted in a weights, and found the Dohnes Their 18 micron fleece sold for gross margin more than comparable had a 10kg liveweight advantage at 1081c/kg greasy (1855c/kg clean), with cropping for South Australian shearing,’’ Mr Curnow said. had a yield of 58 per cent, staple farmer Chris Curnow. A focus on nutrition for both rams length of 70mm and tensile strength Chris and his wife Ann farm 600ha and ewes prior to joining, combined of 26 Nktx. at Avon, on the Adelaide Plains, with pregnancy scanning for multiples Surplus sheep sales have been and run a flock of 700 Dohne ewes / singles and ewes crutched prior to strong for the Curnow family, with in conjunction with a cropping lambing have resulted in lamb marking classed-out hogget Dohne ewes enterprise. of 124 per cent. “Ewes are fed lupins (around 30 per cent) selling in 2017 The Curnows are members and barley prior to joining to maintain for $138 on AuctionsPlus. Dry ewes of a Sheep Connect sponsored their body condition score at 3.5-4 were sold off-shears to average $160 benchmarking group, and have a while rams are supplemented with and 32.4kg dressed weight. handle on just how profitable their 750grams a day of lupins for six weeks A former shearer, Mr Curnow Dohnes are. The flock generates a before joining,’’ Mr Curnow said. likes a bright, white fleece on a soft, wool income of $387/ha, livestock Ewes scanned with multiple lambs supple skin. He is working to maintain trading income of $480/ha and a are preferentially fed grain and adlib average fleece weights in the adult gross margin of $350/ha. Set in a hay in a containment area up to a ewes of 5kg, along with yield, tensile 320mm rainfall zone, the sandy loam fortnight before lambing in June. strength and comfort factor. The last country supports pastures of oats, All lambs are shorn in April with consignment of wool from the ewes vetch and clover for the sheep. the wethers finished in an on-farm averaged 20.4 micron, yielded 60.2 Around five years ago, Chris and containment feedlot for 10 weeks. per cent, had a staple strength of 36 Ann made the switch from a self- They are drafted into two mobs of Nktx, and sold for 886c/kg greasy replacing Merino flock to Dohnes on 32-45kg or 45kg plus liveweight and (1472c/kg clean). the recommendation of their sheep fed on barley (80 per cent), lupins Original article courtesy of consultant. Chris was searching for and pellets. The finished lambs are Kim Woods OutCross Media. an efficient, fertile, dual purpose ewe sold over-the-hooks to Thomas Foods Photo courtesy of Ben Simpson. 4 GROSS MARGINS Dohne In Pole Position GEOFF DUDDY Sheep Solutions Omanama, Queensland SHEEP INDUSTRY consultant and Lamb Forecasting Advisory Committee member, Geoff Duddy (pictured), Sheep Solutions, said the Dohne’s improved weaning percentages were a major profit driver within the industry and that the dual-purpose breed had a huge ability to capitalise on changes in the wool, sheep meat and breeding ewe values. “Dohnes compared favourably to every other breed or crossbreed on gross margin returns. Significant improvements in wool and trade lamb the breeding ewe base, increased focus earlier (or heavier) sale of replacement prices over the past 12 months have on animal health and welfare practice, breeding ewes and wether siblings, placed the Dohne into pole position”. selection based on a sire/breeds genetic reducing on-farm production costs Mr Duddy also said that the plain merit and the cost/benefit of sheep and increasing production efficiencies bodied, open faced and bare breeched meat and wool production. These (discussed in detail below). Dohne would continue to pressure the issues, combined with a declining Interestingly the average skin values Merino industry on improved animal national flock/breeding ewe base, and for Merino-style wools have averaged welfare and called for less reliance on a greater focus on dual-purpose and/or more than crossbred sucker (+$4.99) or mulesing. Sheep producers could expect composite breeds and crosses has seen older lamb skins (+$5.90) over the past a 10 per cent lift in production from an increased interest and accelerated 2 decades, with differences of between hybrid vigour by crossbreeding with the use of Dohne genetics nationally”. $10 to $14 in 2015-2016 in line with Dohne. “Driven by strong export demand, improvements in wool prices. As a In the report, The Dohne’s Role in the sheep meat remains the primary profit result gross returns for Dohne lambs are Australian Sheep Industry, Mr Duddy said driver, with Australia’s sheep industry’s generally greater than Merino lambs the Dohne is a true dual-purpose breed gross value of production - now and/or on par or above gross prime lamb option capable of performing in a variety estimated as 60:40 for meat (slaughter returns based on the combined carcass of environments.