Wool passion burns bright for Walters family

But in Adam Walters' case, it's not just alight - it's more like a bonfire.

This incredible passion for wool has been passed down from his father Martin, and with Adam's involvement in the Merino industry deepening all the time, the future of the Walters family flock looks to be in safe hands.

Martin is a third-generation woolgrower on Boundary Creek, in the cool country of Jimenbuen on the Monaro.

His father took on the farm from his father in the 1970s, and today Martin and his wife Liz are still running Merinos on the same paddocks both men did before them.

Martin has been keen to run Merinos since childhood.

"I was very passionate about it," he said. "I remember when I was in primary school, I would saddle my horse and muster sheep for my father before I went to school."

"My father had pretty good sheep. Back then if you won the ewe comp in this area, you were put up against every winner in the state. He lost by half a point to Don Phillips at Yarrawonga (Merino stud, Cunningar) in the state ewe competition."

Martin's father bred his own Merino rams, and Martin has carried it on.

"We've been doing it for more than 50 years," he said.

Martin began using Yarrawonga blood in his flock and today they join about 1100 to 1200 Merino ewes to Merino rams, using an AI program for 50 to 100 selected ewes. Border Leicester rams are joined to 200 to 300 Merino ewes to produce first-cross ewes.

When it comes to choosing rams, the Walters family is a fan of horns. "We tried one polled ram, but they don't seem to have the cut in them," he said.

Today Martin's ewes are cutting fleeces of up to 10 kilograms of 19-micron wool, with shearing in the process of changing to May.

Growing wool is his focus.

"I think there is a tendency in the Merino breed to go to the meat side more now than ever, so we tend to keep that good, wool-growing skin on our sheep," he said. "You can do both, but those heavier-skinned Merinos take a bit longer to fatten. We want a very loose skin with a productive, crimpy wool."

He's seen the type of Merino change over the years, including producers going for a more dual-purpose sheep and polled rams. And he's had first-hand experience how Merinos have changed.

"I used to shear 30 to 40 years ago, and I've noticed that the skin on the Merinos now is a lot plainer. But we do our best to keep the good skin on our sheep. We know eventually we will have to go into the pollies. There are less horned rams every year."

Martin reckons finding shearers and shed hands is one of the biggest challenges of the wool industry.

"Adam and I shear a third of our sheep ourselves, just to cut costs. Shearing is a good way to class your sheep, but the wool prices are coming back all the time."

"We look after our shearers - we pay them well, we feed them, give them a bit extra so they will come back next year. That's what you have to do. One of the worst things for shearers is lousy sheep."

The Walters family has been going in the Berridale Flock Ewe Competition for 12 years. "We've noticed a big improvement in our sheep," he said. "You have to take the criticism on board."

And when it comes to their son Adam, he's a chip off the old block. "He's me all over again. He loves sheep and cattle," Martin said.

It turns out Adam is only just getting started.

After growing up working alongside his father with sheep and cattle, 35-year-old Adam is now running his own flock of 400 ewes on the family property.

"I've had a lot to do with Merinos growing up working in the yards and doing long hours with my father," he said. "These flock ewe comps got me a lot keener."

The Walters family has run its Rosskin Angus stud for 40 years, but sheep are a huge passion for Adam.

Adam has slowly built up his flock with Avonside and Yarrawonga blood, and has begun competing in the local ewe comp. He's also been a shearer for years, and had one important reason for taking up the handpiece.

"It was to learn how to pick sheep - it's a good hands-on way to see how they comb. I've always been taught about good, heavy-cutting skins that handle well, and not those plainer types," he said.

In his own flock, nourishment in the wool is crucial.

"I want sheep that have handled these really wet years, with good supple skins that have really good wool-cutting ability in that 18- to 19-micron," he said.

"I'm trying to breed a good base of ewes and use better genetics in rams to get there faster. I've used an AI program with some of my elite ewes joined to Yarrawonga 193.

"I want ewes with a good barrel, structurally sound with good shoulders, thickness with a good muzzle. I want that superior type of wool with good staple length, and ewes that cut that eight to 10 kilograms a year."

Adam's wethers are finished on oat crops and then sold over the hook in Wagga or Melbourne. Both Martin and Adam focus on fertilising and pasture improvement to get younger stock grown out as soon as possible.

For Adam, the future is wool.

"All I want is stud quality ewes but to keep them as a commercial flock," he said. "It takes hard work up the race getting the balance in the draft right. You've got to be strict on what you want. I take figures with a grain of salt. I'm a bit more old school. You still need your fleece measurements to go with sheep breeding figures. You get paid on your micron and your wool-cutting ability.

"If I was adamant about anything in the industry, I'm all for mulesing. I don't want to see my stock suffer. That's why we do it. I think pain relief is the best thing they have come up with, but I think there will be a lot of people who get out of Merinos if mulesing is stopped."

Adam feels the industry needs events like the Australian Sheep & Wool Show and the South West Slopes Field Days.

"They are great attractions for young people. They can get out there in the industry, and see sheep in displays. It teaches you a lot and opens your eyes up to things."