TWO Wickepin woolgrowers with different shearing programs came away from the Western Wool Centre (WWC) two weeks ago with similar results.
Brett Doncon, Eastville Merino and Poll Merino studs, who shears once a year, and Brent Bennier, who is in the second year of transitioning to eight-month shearing intervals, were both very happy with prices about 350 cents a kilogram clean or more above what they would have received for their wool last year.
“It almost makes it a pleasure to go out and hand feed sheep at those prices,” Mr Doncon said.
“At least you know that all that grain you are tipping down their throats is worth it,” he said.
“We had 50 millimetres in January which greened things up but that’s all gone now.”
Both farmers are handfeeding sheep and hoping for rain which has so far gone around their farms – Mr Doncon was shearing lambs the week he visited the stores, so he was hoping for rain in the coming weeks.
“We’re struggling for feed,” Mr Bennier said.
“We had one paddock get it (heavy rain) the other day, but the rest of the farm missed out and I spent two days cleaning up after it,” he said.
Mr Bennier runs a 2500 ewe commercial flock and is transitioning to the shorter shearing period because he believes the sheep do better.
“We tend to think it keeps the animals a bit healthier, we thought we were going to get away without a crutching, but it hasn’t happened as yet,” he said.
“We’re still crutching, but mainly to keep the wool cleaner and to stop the flies obviously.
“If you get a spring break on them I think you can’t get away from it (crutching every year), but if you skip a break then I think you can, but I do my own crutching anyway so it’s not a big deal.
“We’re still in the trial phase I suppose, it’s probably into our second year (shearing) at eight months and it seems to be working with the prices up obviously.”
Mr Bennier sold a total of 34 bales of wool in 10 lines to a top of 1455c/kg greasy and a sweep-the-floor price of 1251c/kg.
His fleece wool averaged 20.5 micron, 80 millimetres staple length, 48N/kt strength with 72.5 per cent yield.
“That (clip sold in sales F35) was everything that had the right length wool, apart from some black taggers (last year’s lambs and maidens),” he said.
Mr Doncon sold 77 bales in six lines, the clip from his commercial ewe flock – he mates about 3000 sheep a year – and stud flocks.
His top fleece price was 1499c/kg and sweep-the-floor price 1316c/kg for wool which averaged 20 micron, 95mm staple length from an 11-month shearing – last year’s shearing was delayed a month – 33N/kt strength and 71pc yield.