Dohnes bridge the gap between education and industry at Moama Anglican Grammar

Article courtesy of Moama Anglican Grammar (Carolyn Smith Agriculture & Primary Industries teacher)

Moama Anglican Grammar values hands-on agricultural experiences and greatly appreciates its connection with the Australian Dohne Breeders’ Association. The opportunity for students to participate in the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo through the Dohne Marquee program has opened students’ eyes to the depth and diversity of the sheep industry and provided a valuable bridge between classroom learning and real-world application.

2022 Australian Sheep and Wool Show: Moama Anglican Grammar Students with Stud Breeders and Fox & Lillie Rural sponsor at the Dohne Merino Marquee Education Program.

The impact of this involvement has been significant. Students have been inspired to pursue work placements on sheep properties, further develop their skills by participating in other sheep meat and fleece judging competitions and study agriculture at a tertiary level. Many now aspire to long-term careers within the sheep industry, a pathway highlighted in the accompanying article by Lexie Heinrich, whose confidence to participate in judging competitions was sparked due to encouragement from Dohne breeders.

Students’ fleece judging in the Dohne Marquee Education Program in 2024.

While Moama Anglican Grammar does not currently run their own flock of Dohne sheep on campus (instead borrowing sheep for short-term projects), the school was grateful for Margie Pye who helped introduce a number of Dohne sheep to the school from Caroonboon Station. The Dohne sheep proved exceptionally well suited to Australian conditions and were a pleasure for students to work with, offering both practicality and temperament that enhanced the learning experience.

During this time, students were immersed in a wide range of animal husbandry practices. They monitored feed intake and learned to determine the age of sheep through dentition analysis. Health assessments were conducted using tools such as the FAMACHA chart to evaluate eyelid colour for signs of anaemia, alongside checking gum colour and undertaking body condition scoring. Students also performed faecal worm egg counts to assess the effectiveness of drenching programs.

Students have also gained practical skills in wool classing, assisted with shearing, and taken part in management tasks such as lamb marking and weighing. These experiences have allowed students to complete competencies for their Certificate II in Agriculture which is part of the HSC Primary Industries course. A number of students studying Agriculture from Years 9 to 12 have also developed a genuine passion for livestock production, whether they were originally totally inexperienced or off a sheep property.

Moama Anglican Grammar is appreciative of its ongoing relationship with the Dohne community: the organisation of guest speakers, mini workshops, meat and fleece competitions, sponsorship, and ribbons at the Dohne Marquee has been very generous and the Dohne breeders certainly inspire the next generation of agriculturalists to consider the merits of the breed and the opportunities in the wider sheep industry.