Australian Merino Lamb Trial 2020

The Australian Merino Lamb Trial has been developed to allow past entrants of the Peter Westblade Memorial Merino Challenge and new entrants to benchmark their flock’s genetics against some of Australia’s most recognised and profitable Merino bloodlines and Merino sheep flocks.

Due to the challenging climatic conditions for potential entrants in many areas in 2019, it has become apparent that the proposed trial structure of a 60 team, 2-year production trial for 2020-2022 is going to be impossible to achieve. The originally planned Australian Merino Production Trial will now commence in 2021, with the Australian Merino Lamb Trial held in the interim.

The Australian Merino Lamb Trial is designed to replicate the production system of many profit-focused Merino sheep breeding enterprises. The genetic variation that will be measured through this trial will assist growers in determining the relative capacity of their flock’s genetics to make money.

Full costings of income and expenses will be calculated to provide entrants with a complete analysis of their flock’s relative genetic merit to produce both wool and meat.

The Australian Merino Lamb Trial will promote and provide information to achieve genetic gain by providing an analysis of weight gain on grazing crops and total lamb values under optimum nutrition.

Inspection days will occur at both the assessment shearing and carcass processing events. Experience has highlighted the value to entrants for them to network with their peers and learn from some of Australia’s most progressive businesses.