A Perendale ram from a West Otago stud recently won the most prestigious prize for the breed in New Zealand and is set for sale next month, his breeder says.
Gowan Braes Perendale Stud owner Mike McElrea, of Edievale, said he was "a wee bit surprised" when his Perendale ram hogget 840/23 was named the Golden Sash winner at the West Otago A&P Show this month.
The competition had Royal Event status and featured 17 Perendale rams from Otago, Southland and Canterbury.
"There was some stiff competition. There was some experienced breeders there."
Mr McElrea said he knew the ram was a good one when he selected it for thecompetition.
"He always stood out. He wasn’t a big monster. He was very well put together and meaty."
The ram was "more of a true Perendale", bred to climb steep hills.
"He really didn’t have a fault."
He entered two rams in the Royal Event and the other one placed sixth.
The first time he entered the annual competition was at the Christchurch Show eight years ago.
His previous best placing in the competition was fifth.
Another one of his ram hoggets, 223/23, won the supreme wool prize at the show.
"I’ll keep him to use myself because he is better out of the two in worm resistance. Apart from that, they are very similar rams."
After the competition, the judges told him ram 223/23 was better than ram 840/23.
Both rams had the same sire, ram 520/21.
Mr McElrea said he would begin selling rams by private treaty from next week.
About 100 will sell by Christmas and the rest will sell next month and autumn when farmers realise they have a shortfall.
"Every year you’ll get someone who has bought more ewes and is looking for rams so it is good to have a few on hand."
He had been selling rams by private treaty since the mid 1990s.
Since then he had been breeding for worm resistance by using sires with better than average worm resistance.
"It is a long, long road to breed for it."
"The writing was on the wall then."
When working as a shepherd in Central Otago he first saw drench losing its effectiveness on merino sheep.
He monitored the worm eggs in the faeces of every ram lamb on his farm to decipher if drenching was required and to assist with selection in his breeding programme.
"You’ll get some rams that are big and clean and they’ll be loaded with worms."
As drench resistance was "ramping up" in the national flock, it was an important trait to select for in a breeding programme.
A trait he also selected for was quality wool as he had faith in the price for it rising.
When he started farming, wool accounted for about 40% of the income and now has a much smaller share of the business earnings.
He told young farmers starting out they had picked the best time to start their career.
"It is only going to get better. If they survive this they’ll be really successful because they are learning how not to spend money and that stays with you."
