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Council Report

Councils’ Year in Review

Dohne Breeders are to be congratulated on their sale results for 2017 amidst a bullish wool market. Nationally, 2669 rams sold at auction for a 91% clearance and a $1603 average.

Regardless of the current wool market, commercial Dohne Breeders realise the importance of the ‘whole’ economic package; their wool realises the same price as the traditional Merino, they mark and wean 20-30% more lambs and the ‘doing ability’ is second to none.

Council is always looking at streamlining for Breeders and 2017 was no different with the implementation of a second Dohne Index and syndicate sire mating. Besides affordable DNA, this is about as far as council can go without sacrificing the integrity of the foundation of the breed.
We have an extremely proactive council whose agenda for 2018 is to promote and educate, after all, this really is our job.

The Dohne tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Chile is shaping up to be a magnificent event and I encourage both stud and commercial Breeders to attend.

It is with regret that we are losing Tessa Dawes the association secretary for the last twelve months. Thank you, Tessa, for all your work and we wish you all the very best in your future endeavours.

We welcome Cameron Hills as the new association secretary. Cameron was formerly a CEO the of Merino Breeders in South Australia right next door to the Rural Service office, so Cameron has a wealth of breed society experience. Cameron will be available in the office Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm contact details remain the same 08 8210 5229 or by email secretary@dohne.com.au PO Box 108 Goodwood SA 5034.

Christmas break – The secretary office will be closed for Christmas holidays starting Thursday 21 December 2017 and reopening Monday 8 January 2018.

Cameron Hills

A big thank you to all councillors and sub committee members for their dedication, time and effort.

A Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year to all.

John Nadin ADBA President

International Dohne Merino Conference and Tours

Pre-Tour and Conference, Uruguay – Monday 16 April to Friday 20 April 2018

Post Conference Tour, Argentina and Chile – Sunday 22 April to Saturday 28 April

UPDATED Preliminary Program – Click Here

Registration Form – Click Here

Please submit your registration forms to Tanya Barton admin@dohne.com.au
All Registration forms need to be in ASAP.
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Tanya Barton 0429 208 674 admin@dohne.com.au

Syndicate Sire Pedigree
The 2017 Annual General Meeting of the ADBA approved the use of Syndicate sire matings for Dohne Stud flocks in addition to single sire matings that have been required in the past. Up to 30% of an annual progeny drop can be from syndicate matings. The requirements of how to conduct and report Syndicate sires matings are available in detail now and important to get right. If you are interested in using Syndicate sires for your upcoming mating please contact Allan Casey tech.assist@dohne.com.au or Rachel Browne rachelbrowne04@gmail.com.  Stud breeders will obtain information on syndicate mating as well as other topics after Council’s February 2018 meeting however if you want to consider using a syndicate this mating please ask now.
Allan Casey – 0408 279 719

For more information on Syndicate Sire Pedigree – Click Here

Dohne Journal
National Promotions has decided to produce another high-quality journal again next year.
These journals will be published early next year so that they can be promoted at the upcoming International Dohne Merino Conference and Tours in Uruguay, April 2018 and Lambex, August, Perth.

Like last year these journals will be distributed to each state so that they can be promoted at next year’s field days and sales.

Please return booking forms by Wednesday 20 December 2017 to admin@dohne.com.au
Adverts are not required until the 9 February 2018.

Australian Sheep and Wool Show 2018
As the Australian Sheep and Wool Show Bendigo VIC is the largest sheep display in Australia, the ADBA,  through recommendations from the show and sale sub committee, has taken over ownership and management of the site marquee. The following protocol has been ratified by council.

Entry Requirements:

• All rams must be tethered during display hours and no ram crates will be allowed.
• Rams only between 2 -5  years old.
• Shearing date must be between the 1 and 7 April 2018.
• Minimum entry of 2 rams and a maximum of 5 rams per stud.
• Entry cost per ram is $150.

Further information will be distributed to members in the new year.
For further information please contact  Murray Rogerson 03 5577 8248.

Blood Cards
Blood cards can also be used when submitted with a small semen sample; as per blood samples. This is particularly useful if a Sire has died, but some stored semen could be placed on the card and sent for testing.

For more information contact Sheep CRC Ltd 02 6773 1317 www.sheepcrc.org.au.

States’ Year in Review

Western Australia
2017 was a great year for Dohne breeders in the west with some fantastic sale results right across the state and many milestones achieved for the breed.

At public auction when compared to any of the previous ten years we have seen the highest number of rams sold at 894 a rise of 130 on last year at the highest average $1362 a $68 jump. This combination saw the breed gross over $1.2 million at public auction in WA for the first time. A great achievement.

In a year that saw sheep take centre stage in agriculture, we were also able to increase our market share to 6% a highly encouraging sign for the future growth of the breed. Thanks and congratulations must go to all that have helped to promote the Dohne over the last year for their success.

Rhys Parsons WA President.

Council WA Roadshow March 2017, Muresk institute, Northam WA.

New South Wales
Welcome all, 2017 has been a reasonable year in general for NSW coming off a very wet 2016. Even though the state has had a very cold winter there has been adequate stock feed except for those in the northwest of the state who have had another dry year with meals on wheels again being the order of the day.

With recent widespread spring rains, restocker values are set to rise further which will put further pressure on processors to lift hook prices to maintain supply. We are still slaughtering more sheep than we are able to breed, this bodes well for our industry. Currently, we are seeing six dollars a kilo for lambs right through to February 2018 as well as the wool indicator hovering around 2000 cents for 19’s the Dohne continues to kick goals on all fronts.

With this in mind it is important we keep the integrity of our breed intact, we all know how versatile the Dohne is please don’t drop the ball.

NSW ram sale auction results this year, 776 offered with 686 sold to increased averages. Top price to Don and Karen Mills of Kardinia $4800 with the Hughes family of Gullendah close behind $4750.The states top average also went to Gullendah $2500 followed by Macquarie with $2266.

This adds to the National sale figures of 2669 rams sold at public auctions with a 91% clearance.

I would just like to thank the national committee for their tireless work for the breed, if we can all do our best to drive the breed further we have a strong future.

Merry Christmas to you all, may 2018 be a fantastic year for Dohne.

David Berrell NSW President.

Council NSW Roadshow June 2017, MLA Office Armidale NSW

South Australia
2017 has proven to be an exceptional year for South Australian Dohne producers, with some of the best ram clearances in Australia. SA cleared 96% offered at auction with a terrific sale average of $1605, the highest price ram for the year was $6600.

These results reflect the quality of the south Australian genetics and the strong market for maternal sheep that deliver premiums for meat and wool. commercial producers are continuing to pursue Dohne’s for their high fertility, superior feed conversion ratios and the consistency of sale lambs with a minimal tail end.

The ideals of the Dohne breed are supported by industry through programmes such as lifetime ewe project, which tells us that each condition score on our breeding ewes is invaluable to the returns of our sheep enterprise.

South Australia was also fortunate enough to host the AGM and combined sire day, held at Naracoorte. The sire day was a tremendous hit and was supported by thirty members and had a strong commercial producer following. The guest speaker, MLA managing director  Mr. Richard Norton was very informative and supported the ideals of the Dohne Breed as a mules free option while reminding us that the mulling debate is still a significant trade barrier restricting export opportunities.

I take this opportunity to commend the National council for their organisation of the event.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and prosperous 2018.

Eric Ashby SA President.

Guest Speaker: Richard Norton, managing director of MLA addressing members during Sire Day, August 2017, Naracoorte Showground, Naracoorte SA

Victoria
A magnificent season surpassing ’96 and ’74 in my own memory and equaling the early ’50’s of my parent’s memory. Early wet autumn, dry winter, except in the west around Hamilton with a wet spring and early summer [ 140mm in the last 3 weeks.] $250 million of frost damage in Ararat Shire, yet Tasmania has been very dry, with East Gippsland the driest on record. The persistent North-west and Westerly activity have crashed the East Coast lows.

Our Show and Display season proceeded earlier this year with 2 studs participating in the Fairfax Media On-property Field Days of early June followed by 7 studs in the Bendigo Tent in July where Koonik Stud gained the Grand Champion Award and Calga Stud the Reserve Champion. In August, 8 Studs displayed at Sheepvention, 5 of which were housed in the Dohne sponsored tent. 5 Studs are to be congratulated for appearing at the Deniliquin Field Days on August 19 where Dohne was the feature breed and the Grand Champion was again won by Koonik.

Although Victorian sales were a little slower this year we are still managing to run 4 auctions in the state with Koonik, West Wail and Stirling all On-property and the Victorian Sale supported by Aero, Glenaroua, Kardinia, Macquarie, Nareeb Nareeb and Stirling. Burnbank sells privately. Koonik again received the top price of $4250 and the top average of $1909. All Dohnes in South Africa and Uruguay are raised between 30 and 35 latitude. 35  in Australia is represented by Albany Adelaide and Wagga. Below this line seems to require some typing adjustment, especially in the feet.

Murray Rogerson VIC President.

Aero Champion Fleece – Stephen Reddie and Murray Rogerson. Australian Sheep and Wool Show July 2017, Bendigo Showgrounds, Bendigo VIC.

Ram Sale Results
Sale reports and photos on behalf of – The Land, Stock & Land, Stock Journal, Farm Weekly

Gullendah Ram Sale, Baldry NSW
FULL CLEARANCE 120 rams sold to $4750 and averaged $2500.
Full Sale Report – Click Here

Brenda Station, Goodooga, returned to purchase both equal top-priced Done rams among 19 averaging $3067. Pictured with Paul Dooley, Tamworth; Andrew and Peter Huighes hold rams and Brad Wilson, Landmark, Dubbo.

Brett’s Blurb (Brett Wilson, Dohne Data Manager)
What else does Brett do!
For this pre-Christmas newsletter, I thought I would take a break from the normal Dohne newsletter items and give an update on my sporting activities for 2017.

For those members that do not know I am a competitive shooter in the sport of Rimfire Benchrest. The sport involves using 22 rimfire target rifles to shoot at paper targets 50m away, trying to hit a 4mm wide “10” ring 25 times on each of 3 paper targets that make up a match.

I currently shoot under two organisations Sporters Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA) and Rimfire Benchrest Australia (RBA). While I have represented Australia in the past for RBA in South Carolina USA, Pilsen Czech Republic and Brisbane Australia I have not achieved selection for a SSAA Australian team, so I set that as my goal for 2017. To make the SSAA Australian team a shooter needs to have a combined score from the 4 national selection shoots in the top 9. Top three shooters make the prestigious Australia “A” team.

The first two matches were held in Coffs Harbour in February. The first match shot on Saturday I scored 746 out of a possible of 750 to finish first. The second Match on Sunday I shot 745 to finish 6^th and with a combined event placing of 4^th which was also the halfway point for qualifying I was running 4^th.

The 3^rd and 4^th qualifying matches were held again in Coffs Harbour in October. The first match I scored 745 for 1st place and the second I scored 747 for a second place, combined event result was 1st place.
For the SSAA Australian team combined 4 events I ended up finishing 1^st place with a significant points margin over the rest of the shooters locking in my place in the Australia “A” team to travel to Manresa Spain in July 2018.

In addition, I also shot the SSAA NSW State Titles for 9^th and 1^st places. SSAA also runs a competition that ranks shooters on their best 6 events of the year. I won this also making me the SSAA rimfire Shooter of the year.

Finally, to finish the year I travelled to Melbourne in late November to shoot at the RBA nationals. This is a 3-rifle class event, Sporter class (8.5lb rifle 6 power scope), Light class (10.5lb rifle unlimited scope) and Heavy Class (15lb rifle unlimited scope). I placed 3^rd in Sporter, 3^rd in Light and 1^st in Heavy. There are combined results and I won for the 2 gun and I won the overall champion 3 gun. This is the first selection shoot for the Australian team traveling to South Africa in 2019 and I am leading the list so far.

Now I need to keep preparing and practicing for Spain and work on chasing some sponsors to help me get there.

I wish all Dohne breeders a Merry Christmas and Happy data collecting for 2018.

Regards Brett Wilson Dohne Data Manager

Brett’s 1st place SSAA trophy 2017.