School students around NSW have been carefully feeding and collecting data on teams of prime lambs in a hands-on project designed to foster and mentor the next generation of farmers. A total of 26 schools from across the state, ranging from Sydney, Coffs Harbour to the New England and Griffith, will be competing in the inaugural Community Bank Gilgandra and Central West Bendigo Bank NSW Dohne Prime Lamb Schools Competition at Orange, NSW, on July 29. Continue reading →

The dual-purpose traits of wool and carcase gave the Dohne breed the edge to dominate the prestigious 2025/2026 Walgett Show Merino Wether Trial, taking out the overall champion. The results were announced at the 86^th annual Walgett Show on May 9-10 following the shearing of the 16 competing teams in March. David and Annie Berrell, Midgery Dohne Merino Stud, Walgett, won the Fletchers International Exporters champion team trophy (combined wool and carcase) in what is billed as the nation’s and world’s longest running wether trial. Midgery also won the Clemson Hiscox & Co Nutrien Ag Solutions Trophy for the carcase class. The teams of eight wethers were run as a single mob for 12 months at a host property at Carinda before visual and objective data collection at shearing and slaughter. The scores from the top six sheep in each team were collated to determine the placings. In second place was a team from Mark and Caitlin Currey along with Mark’s parents, Jim and Sue Currey, Bogewong Butcher Co, Walgett, reinforcing the Dohne breed’s wool and carcase quality and consistency. Continue reading →