Dohne breed set out to educate young agricultural workers at Australian Sheep & Wool Show

Stock & Land By Philippe Perez July 19 2022

Five studs who specialised in Dohnes were represented at the show with the breed’s marquee focusing on an element of education.

Macquarie Dohnes stud principal, John Nadin, Ballimore, NSW said the South African developed breed was well balanced and has high fertility.

But he said the most important reason for the breed’s presence at the show was educating younger agricultural students interested in maybe being involved with the breed’s growth.

“We have a fleece judging competition, which is a group of three fleeces and it’s judged on the uniformity for our short wool and our long wool sections,” he said.

“But the rest of the show for us is to show plenty of rams and ewe on display and the rest of it is basically education,”

Longerenong Agricultural and Moama Anglican Grammer students came by to the marquee during the show to take part in a judging competition for both fleeces, which Mr Nadin said will expose high quality wool future farmers.

“It’s a dual purpose breed, with both quality Merino wool and a high growth rate prime lamb carcase,” he said.

“It’s a non-mules breed and we think it’s certainly a breed that has influence for many Merino studs in the country, genetically, and I think there’ll be more of that to come.”

Macquarie Dohnes stud had won the first three places in the six to eight month shearing category at this year’s show, which Mr Nadin said was a credit to the concentrating on good quality crimping wool that can handle all environments.

The winner of the long wool category at the marquee Murray Rogerson, Stirling Dohne, Glenthompson, said the breed was getting great recognition at the show.

He said while “it wasn’t typical Dohne country” the breed do well in high challenging environments like the south Grampians where his stud is located.

“You have got high cloud cover levels, so the wet conditions can be damp, and I try to get a white wool, something that’s not too dense with preferably a long staple,” he said.

“I try to get the vegetable matter down which in turn make the characteristics good and get that wool to be water-resistent.”

Wool classer registrar, Australian Wool Exchange Fiona Raleigh was a guest judge for the Dohne fleece and said the competition had a uniqueness to it.

“Generally judging involves asses fleeces that are at 12 months of growth, so judging a short fleece is a little different, but in essence it is the same,” she said.

“I’m looking for evenness of character throughout the fleece and these fleeces displayed superior character, deep crimping, and a soft handle.”

Ms Raleigh said Dohne breeders are becoming “innovative and youth focused”.