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About Mentieth Farm
I had been running
wool sheep on a property in the Adelaide Hills for some years, and
it came to the point of making a decision whether to seriously
increase the infrastructure to assist with the management of these
sheep or find something else. I wanted to stay with sheep, but was
concerned about the time and costs associated with wool sheep, and
the increasing difficulty in finding shearers for crutching and
shearing. In early 2005 I heard about the Wiltipoll. After doing
some research I contacted Annie Hughes at Strathalbyn and arranged a
visit. The visit proved to be the start of Mentieth Wiltipolls.
Within a very
short time I had purchased a small flock of ewes, plus a ram and
gradually quit the wool sheep. My breeding flock has grown to now
stand at 60 registered A1 and A breeding ewes. All rams used are
registered A1 or A sires.
In early 2009 I returned to Eyre
Peninsula to live, and have established the flock in the hills
adjacent to Tumby Bay on Lower Eyre Peninsula – in the heart of
traditional wool country! I am the first registered flock on Eyre
Peninsula, and have started to promote the breed through articles in
the local press, as well as radio interviews, and attendance at
rural shows. There are several commercial flocks in the area, and
already I am supplying rams to breeders with wool sheep who are
looking to improve their prime lamb returns.
What do I like
about Wiltipolls?
To me the biggest
attraction of Wiltipolls is that they are easy to manage. You don’t
spend money and time shearing and crutching or mulesing. There isn’t
the problem with flies that you have with wool sheep. Wiltipolls
have a relatively easy temperament, and don’t crawl or jump out of
paddocks, or go through fences.
I am a past member
of the management committee of the Australian Wiltipoll Association
Inc. This has helped me to improve my knowledge, and also be
involved in the promotion of the Wiltipoll and growth of the breed
across Australia. More and more traditional wool growers are
turning to Wiltipolls as an alternative and the future is looking
very bright for this Australian developed sheep.
For more
information please refer to my
brochure or follow the
links
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