JUNE has been interesting for the students at the Western Australian College of Agriculture – Narrogin as they learnt about lambing with the year’s drop of Suffolks.
The college used sires from Advanca Stud in South Australia and Bowen stud in New South Wales in its artificial insemination program.
These Scottish bloodlines were chosen to increase the carcase weight.
The artificially inseminated mob lambed in the shearing shed under the watchful eye of students and technical officer Colin Batt.
Mr Batt said this year’s Suffolk lambs were the best bunch he had seen.
With 90 new lambs, including 40 sets of twins, the students were kept busy assisting with lambing, identifying lambs and dams, mothering up lambs and helping to return sheep to the paddock.
Since introducing Scottish bloodlines to the Suffolk program, the weight of the sheep has increased from 87 kilogram rams at 15 months to 148kg rams at the same age.
The college has enjoyed success with their Suffolk sheep at country shows such as Dinninup and Williams as well as the Make Smoking History Wagin Woolorama and IGA Perth Royal Show.
The students are looking to regain the Suffolk lamb title at the Perth Show in September.