Apparel Wool, Meat for a Feast
August Newsletter 2025
The future is at the cross-roads for our Dohne Merino breed and indeed for the wool, sheep and farming industry in general. We have the opportunity to concentrate on promotions, education and a continued presence at AMSEA sites. I believe that the best way forward is to rely on the input of the next generation whose expertise lies in social media and new technology. We need their guidance to make the most of the opportunities available to reach the sheep breeders of the future. It is great news that Mitchell Applegate, Daniel Pumpa and Sandy Pye have joined us on Council as well as Matt Mills continuing on Promo Committee. I have been appointed for another year as President and Don Mills as Vice President. Continue reading
While it’s the end of an era, stud’s breeding legacy is set to continue
It was the end of an era for Far Valley Dohne stud owner David Kain when he sold his beloved stud to Mollerin Rock Dohne stud owners, the Applegate family in early April. The Australian Dohne Breeders' Association life member sold the stud after breeding Dohne rams for 26 years. After its establishment in 1999, the stud became known, not only for its reliable genetics, but as one of the first studs to purchase pregnancies from the first embryo transfer in Australia in 1999, and held the first Dohne ram sale in Australia in 2000. Continue reading
Balanced Dohne takes out the supreme ribbon, with right mix of meat and wool
Article courtesy of ACM (Andrew Miller) Stock & Land
Judge Stephen Chalmers awarded the Dohne blue ribbon to a ram belonging to Calga/Uardry, Coonamble, NSW. Video by Andrew Miller.
A Dohne with the right balance of meat and wool has… Continue reading
Axe Creek student wins Dohne wool classing and sheep judging competition
Wool classing students have again taken part in sheep and fleece judging at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.
Katy Pollard, Axe Creek, took out both the fleece and sheep judging competitions, held in the Dohne marquee.
Longernong College woolclassing skills trainer and assessor Craig Mackley said 10 students, from Victoria and NSW, took part in the judging, in the Dohne marquee.
"They are all part of the Certificate IV wool classing course - they learn it here at Longernong with me, then they go over to judge the fleeces at ASWS," he said.
Move to Dohne pays off
The dual-purpose traits of the Dohne breed have significantly boosted the productivity of the Argent-Smith family's sheep flock in New South Wales, improving fertility as well as the early growth and carcase quality of their lambs.
CARCASE BONUS - "We sent 214 of our second line of lambs to Gundagai and they averaged a dressed weight of 29.84kg and returned $243 per head.
"What we were very pleased with was that 71 per cent of the draft received the Gundagai Lamb Quality 5+ score bonus which is worth 80 cents/kg, equating to a price of $8.36c/kg.
"We also received $8.50/hd for the skins, bringing the total return to $251/hd."
The Dohne lambs had also been shorn with the return from their wool averaging $25/hd.
"For us the results have confirmed that we're producing the right type of Dohne lamb that fits the bill for the Gundagai Lamb brand. Continue reading
Dohne genetics boosting the wool cheque in a composite ewe flock
Dohne genetics are not only adding growth potential and milk but also boosting the wool income for a northeast Victorian composite flock producing prime lambs.
Lima Park Pastoral, at Swanpool, transitioned from joining composite ewes to Poll Dorset and composite rams to Dohne, wiping off eight microns in a single generation and picking up an extra 440c/kg for the wool.
Lima Park Pastoral assistant manager, Barry Hutton, said the importance of wool in the composite enterprise was questioned due to low bale returns. Continue reading
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