Roemahkita 160018 took out one of the most coveted Merino classes during the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo, Victoria July 15 2017.
By Catherine Miller, Stock Journal, 20/7/2017. Photo credit and thanks to Catherine Miller.
A productive fine-medium wool ram with a thumping carcase won the Australian Merino All-Purpose Championship from more than 80 entries. 160018 scored 84.4 points out of a possible 100 for objective measurement and carcase and wool visual appraisal. Meat Judge Ben Simmons, Dunedoo NSW, said both the champion and reserve from Poll Boonoke, Deniliquin, NSW were “nearly structurally faultless” but the champion rose to the top with its “exceptional width through loin, butt shape and width through the twist.” Wool judge Ray Lewis Lewisdale Stud Wickepin WA, said that 160018 epitomised the “modern Merino” with a large EMD and loin, but also plenty of free-growing wool. He said that the meat game in the Merino industry is worth more than half the income – two lambs are worth a couple of hundred dollars, but a fleece of wool is worth $50-$60 so we have to breed sheep with high fertility and these are the type of sheep we need to be breeding. We get paid by the kilogram for both meat and wool, Mr Lewis said.
160018 2017 All-Purpose Ram