South Australian Schools' merino Wethers

Competition Handbook

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS’ MERINO WETHERS COMPETITION HANDBOOK

MERINO SAThe Association promotes and encourages the breeding and improvement of pure Merino and Poll Merino sheep, while endeavoring to foster and encourage the involvement of youth into the industry.

THE COMPETITION’S AIMSThe Schools’ Merino Wethers Competition is an event for encouraging young people to become familiar with, and possibly pursue a career within the Merino Industry. It also provides opportunity for students to have contact with many aspects of the Merino sheep industry from stud and commercial breeders, stock agents, wool buyers through to processors.It aims to practically educate and engage students on the commercial production of Merino sheep by giving them a memorable ‘hands on’ experience covering a broad scope of sheep and wool production skills.

HISTORYThe Schools’ Merino Wethers Competition was set up in 2011 by the South Australian Stud Merino Sheepbreeders’ Association – also known as Merino SA – and has proved to be a successful collaborative effort between the State’s Stud Merino industry and participating high schools with agricultural studies in their curricular. Run within the program of the Royal Adelaide Show, in 2011 there were 21 entries of three sheep per entry, and the competition has seen rapid growth since its inception.In 2012, Australian Wool Innovation produced a YouTube-hosted video about the event that can be viewed at; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkjJnSmkkwI

SCHOOLS’ MERINO WETHERS COMPETITION OUTLINE (AS AT 2015)The Schools’ Wethers Competition comprises of three Merino or Poll Merino wethers under 1½ years of age with no more than two permanent teeth.

Wethers must be shorn before, on or after the 1st of March of the current year, but at the time of inspection each wether will, allowing for natural growth shall not exceed the equivalent of 12.5 mm as at the 1st of March.All wethers must be regulation tagged by two Merino SA representatives.

Wethers may be drawn from-1. South Australian Merino and Poll Merino Studs2. Commercial Merino or Poll Merino breeders within South Australia3. An Agricultural school’s own flock

OVINE JOHNE’S DISEASEWethers will only be eligible if they are from a Regional Biosecurity Area or monitored negative (MN) flock and will be penned in isolation. Exhibitors are to refer to the Royal Adelaide Show sheep schedule regarding biosecurity conditions.

COMPETITIONA maximum of two entries per school are allowed.

Wethers will be judged in six segments:

1. Best pen of three wethers Subjective assessment of exhibits by an experienced livestock agent.

2. Three most valued fleeces Objective assessment based on the midside sampling scores and the yield of fleece taken from the wethers.

3. Best meat value Objective assessment of value based on the weight of the exhibits, the age of the exhibits, and the prevailing meat grid prices of the day.

4. Three most valued skins A combination of subjective and objective assessment of exhibits by an experienced livestock assessor.

5. Highest weight gain by a group Objective assessment based on weights taken in March relative to September.

6. Overall meat and fleece winner Objective assessment based on the combined fleece and meat value of the exhibits.

All wethers will be scanned for eye muscle and fat depth for educational purposes. All wethers will be shorn during the competition, where fleeces will be weighed and valued.

RESULTSPrize ribbons will be awarded from 5.00pm on the Wednesday competition day. A downloadable spreadsheet (Excel format) of objective assessment scores will be posted on the Merino SA website within a week following the competition.

SKILL AREASAs an outcome of the preparation of sheep for the competition, students will get insight into numerous key components in good sheep management that include;

• Sheep selection based on subjective and objective assessment

• Show preparation for competition

• Nutrition requirements

• Husbandry requirements

• Sheep and Wool handling

• An understanding of profit drivers in Merino sheep production

PLANNING FOR SCHOOLS’ MERINO WETHER COMPETITION

OctoberContact commercial or stud Merino breeders to source wethers. It is advisable to have at least one if not two spare wethers for each team. When sourcing wethers, consider young sheep to give them every chance of not getting more than two permanent teeth prior to the Show.Please also refer to Appendix 1 of this Handbook; ‘Mouthing sheep’ from ‘A producer’s guide to sheep husbandry practices’, Meat and Livestock Australia, Lloyd J. and Playford M., 2013, ISBN 9781925045062.If your school requires help contacting a breeder, make enquires to Merino SA.The schools can purchase wethers from a Merino producer at a fair average price.

February – MarchOrder regulation tags from Merino SA to tag all wethers, or alternately arrange for your Stud contact to order tags on your school’s behalf.

Each wether requires a regulation tag to be eligible for entry into the Royal Adelaide Show. This tag indicates that the sheep has been shorn in accordance with the SASMSA Shearing Regulations. It is also the tag used to identify the sheep for objective data collated on that animal. i.e. midside sample wool tests. Should a regulation tag be lost from a wether (e.g. torn from the ear) a replacement tag can be sought from Merino SA, and will require tagging by an Association-approved Shearing Inspector.

Wethers must be tagged, inspected, and weighed by a Committee comprising of two Inspectors, both of whom shall be members of Merino SA. Merino SA is pleased to provide a list of Shearing inspectors to the school if required. The weight of the wethers shall be clearly noted in the “Private Tag Number / Tattoo” column of the ‘Shearing Inspection Report and Certificate of Exoneration’. The weight is to be rounded to the closest half-kilogram. The inspectors will hand to the school representative the ‘yellow’ copy of the shearing inspection report, and return the ‘white’ and ‘blue’ copies of the report to the Merino SA office in a timely manner. If a Shearing Inspection Report is not received by Merino SA, the school’s exhibits will be deemed ineligible to compete.

Wethers must be treated with an appropriate animal husbandry chemical to ensure they are not infested with lice. Wethers with lice or have had long wool applications to eradicate lice are not permitted entry to the Royal Adelaide Show.Do not assume your wethers are lice-free at the point of shearing.

Wethers are to be cared for by students and teachers on school grounds or their associated agricultural facility at latest by inspection if not earlier.

March to SeptemberA nutrition program needs to be formulated and applied by the students.Wethers will need to be carefully introduced onto feed rations being careful not to cause acidosis (grain poisoning).The program will need to consist of an induction ration then building on that right through to a finishing ration six weeks prior to the competition.Animal nutritionist through local stock agents would be a good resource to ensure feeding requirements are adequate.

Wethers should be handled on a regular basis. This will ensure they become calm and relaxed around people. By doing this they will become easier to handle and put on weight more readily.Haltering and leading the wethers is recommended.

May to SeptemberTo ensure wethers are well presented it is recommended (but not compulsory) that prior to the competition that they be shedded (kept under cover) to keep them out of the rain and dust. By protecting sheep from the natural elements, their wool is more likely to be softer and whiter than if they were paddock-run.

JulyEntry forms must be obtained from the Royal Adelaide Show. The closing date for entries is mid-July. PLEASE CHECK YOUR ENTRY FORMS FOR THE CLOSING DATE OF ENTRIES. It is recommended schools put their entries in via the on line form, early. The Show Society will not allow entries to be received beyond the specified date. Log on to www.theshow.com.au – Show Entries and Results.

AugustMid-side sampling of the wethers’ wool will be taken in the first week of August. Schools will be sent sample bags and recording cards in late-July.

The schools are to arrange for the mid-side samples to be taken in the first week of August by two Inspectors as per tagging requirements.

Wool samples are to be collected by the Inspectors. These are then sent away for testing to an approved testing laboratory. The test results will be forwarded from the laboratory to Merino SA for collation, and sent back to the schools ideally prior to the end of August. These wool tests should then be used to select the wethers for the competition along with subjective appraisals. If unsure with the final selections of your team, contact a local stud breeder for advice.

Wethers will require a small crutch or `bung hole’ to enhance presentation and keep the britch of the sheep clean.

It is advisable to weigh wethers each month to monitor weight gain.Also check the wethers’ teeth to ensure each sheep has no more than two permanent teeth as per entry requirements. Wethers with more than two teeth at the Royal Adelaide Show will be deemed ineligible to compete.

SeptemberPrior to travelling to the Royal Adelaide Show make sure the wethers have their regulation tags in place and confirm that they have no more than two permanent teeth.

A National Vendor Declaration and Animal Health Statement must accompany the wethers in transit to the Royal Adelaide Show. These are legal documents and are to be presented to the sheep office (located in the Adelaide Showground Stud Sheep Pavilion). Wethers will not be permitted to be unloaded without these documents.

The Royal Adelaide Show will make available vehicle passes for schools to unload their exhibits on the Tuesday afternoon of the Show.

Schools are also required to take to the Show the appropriate feed rations for the wethers, sufficient for the five day Wednesday-Sunday period while being held in the Stud Sheep Pavilion at the Adelaide Showground.

Post-Royal Adelaide ShowFollowing the last day of the Show, all wethers will be taken by a transport contractor to a designated delivery point as determined by Merino SA. They remain there for approximately two weeks before being delivered to the processor.

PROMOTION OF BLOODLINES AT THE SHOWMerino SA has a policy that studs that assist schools are not to promote or have promoted their bloodlines through the competition. The Association considers that the focus of the competition is to encourage students’ interest in the wool and sheepmeat industries and enhance their skill development.

PROCEEDS FROM THE COMPETITION Merino SA collects the proceeds received from the sale of the fleece wool and the wethers themselves, and takes out a small percentage to cover costs associated with the event (such as cartage of the sheep, and shearers’ costs). The net proceeds are then distributed by cheque to the schools. Exhibitors are advised that it may take several months for the Association to receive the proceeds from the sale of wool and/or wethers for distribution back to the schools.

TIMETABLE FOR ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

Tuesday

2.00pm – 5.00pm Unload then wethers weighed on scales for objective assessment.

Wednesday9.00am Students required to be present at competition opening.

9.30am – 10.30am Subjective assessment and Skin judging assessment

10.30am – Noon Students required to present sheep for shearing

Noon – 1.00pm Lunch

1.00pm + Students required to present sheep for shearing as required

5.00pm Students required for line-up and award presentation.

INFORMATIONTeachers are encouraged to be familiar with the guide; ‘Visual Classing:Merino Sheep’ produced by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI). The publication is downloadable from the AWI website (www.wool.com) and a limited number of hard copies are available on request from AWI’s Sydney office.

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

The members of Merino SA would like to take the opportunity to thank trophy sponsors and event sponsors for their contribution toward the competition:

Mutooroo Pastoral CompanyAustralian Wool Network Spence Dix & CoThomas Foods International Urrbrae Agricultural School

Australian Association of Stud Merino BreedersAustralian Wool InnovationLazerlineSports Shear SATurretfield Research CentreMr. Peter Fitzsummons

Merino SAPO Box 108Goodwood SA 5034(08) 8212 4157www.merinosa.com.au

Royal Adelaide Show PO Box 108 Goodwood SA 5034 (08) 8210 5211 theshow.com.au

The information in this document is provided for advisory purposes only and was understood to be correct at the time of printing (2015). Exhibitors should check the Show’s website for any changes to the competition rules or prize structure.