IF you're a WA sheep producer you might recognise Michael Altus from his days spent auctioneering on the saleyard rail or classing and drafting sheep as a Landmark stock agent.
Despite the fact he still does some contract auctioneering, Michael has returned home to his Broomehill mixed family farm (and Nyabing cropping block) to help his father David and uncle Tim turn-off a combination of well-bred Merino and well-muscled first-cross Suffolk prime lambs.
The Altus family's self-replacing Merino flock was initiated by Michael's grandfather Harold when he moved to the region and bought his first Wallinar blood rams in 1957.
For nearly 60 years Wallinar genetics were deeply entrenched in the largely ewe-focused flock.
But this year will mark the farm's third year of utilising Leovale genetics from Lake Grace.
Karinya Suffolk rams were bought out of idle interest some years ago and now the key production focus of the operation is to produce, nurture and sell as many top quality lambs in the quickest amount of time possible.
Each December some 4000 mixed-age Merino ewes are joined to Merino and terminal Suffolk sires to lamb down in May.
That includes a 120-strong nucleus Merino flock as well as an additional 100-head Suffolk ewe nucleus flock used to breed in-house Merino and Suffolk rams to put back over the farm's Merino dams.
However Michael's time spent working on the other end of the sheep industry has also opened his eyes to a range of different production opportunities which has prompted even further changes to be made on-farm.
In recent weeks the family sold their Suffolk nucleus flock and will this year look to scrap the breeding of terminal sires altogether in favour of buying White Suffolk rams from a reputable breeder to join directly to the farm's wool-cull Merino ewes for prime lamb production.
Further streamlining the management strategies of the 50:50 sheep and cropping enterprise, Michael and his family also want to free up more cropping hectares to run more Merino ewes and will this year hold onto more replacements in a bid to increase their flock numbers.
The idea comes off the back of the growing number of mixed farmers that are gradually increasing their cropping hectares and trading sheep, rather than breeding them in a long-term rotation.
A larger Merino ewe flock will provide the Altus family with more sale possibilities and a wider range of cash flow options when it comes to turning out cull ewes - whether it be the ability to put younger cull ewes into the marketplace for producers running prime lamb operations to buy, or turning-off younger cast for age dams for the same purpose.
Currently Merino sires for the nucleus program are purchased on the basis of their 19-20 micron wool, free growing fleece quality, wool production capacity (come September shearing) and large plain frame.
Season depending, as many offspring as possible (usually up to half) are sold as suckers come weaning time, while the other half is held onto until June for a second premature wool shearing before being sold into the live export trade.
This season a number of ewe mobs bearing first-cross Suffolk lambs were joined to lamb down early (from the first week of April) as a trial to see whether the farm could possibly have suckers ready to sell into WAMMCO's early September market before the rest of the season's suckers come online in mid to late October.
"This year it worked out really well because of the season we've had - the ewes lambed onto green feed," Michael said.
"We'll probably start doing a few more like that but certainly not all of them.
"It has also given us the chance to get more of the lambs off as suckers without having to shear them."
He said the farm's later prime lamb drops will be subjected to the same drafting process.
"In our first draft we get as many suckers off to WAMMCO as possible while selling the culls through the Katanning saleyards before everything remaining is put onto stubbles," Michael said.
"We then sell as many as we can off stubbles before the third and final draft is brought up to scratch in the feedlot where up to 600 can be grain or pellet-fed at a time."
He also said the buoyant sheepmeat market and positive industry outlook makes for some exciting times ahead.
"There used to be quite a big gap in the profitability of Merinos and prime lamb breeds - that's why dad and grandad started the prime lamb flock in the first place," Michael said.
"But now, with the improvement in Merino genetics and the breed taking on a more dual purpose standing you can get a Merino processed at similar money.
"Our June-shorn shippers cut three kilograms of wool per head and sold for $90 a head bare shorn.
"That $120-$130 a head value is absolutely comparable to a prime lamb option.
"The way we're approaching things just provides another option outside of the traditional Merino production style of cutting wool before putting them on a boat.
"Sheep are also the answer when it comes to the country of ours that can't be continuously cropped, low lying areas that get frosted and the overall weed management strategy of the business."
