When Jodie and Andrew Green from Aloeburn Poll Merinos (Boree Creek) attended an AIM Workshop at Elders Nerrandera, they knew exactly what they hoped to learn – how to improve their confinement feeding practices, create better rations and capitalise on advanced weaning management.
Already highly innovative operators with a keen focus on both genetics and animal management, the couple has spent the last few years developing a balanced sheep with zero wrinkle, long stapled white wool that stands up in diverse conditions, and industry-leading carcass traits for growth, fat and muscle. And, thanks to an emphasis on reproduction and maternal traits, they’ve also created a polled lamb with a quiet temperament that is easy to fatten.
Enter Jack Buckingham, the AIM Technical Sales Specialist (TSS), who lead the Nerrandera Workshop and has had the pleasure of working with Jodie and Andrew ever since.
“The Greens run a great enterprise and are very innovative in their practices and concerned with the welfare of their stock”, said Jack, “They’re always thinking about how to do things better and they’re not afraid to exchange traditional practices for new ideas if they can see a smarter way.”
Jack is full of praise for the Green’s selective breeding program, which promotes maternal instincts amongst the ewes. He tells the story of a single-lamb ewe who took on a second orphaned lamb (essentially gave herself twins) and of a draft he observed at Aloeburn – the most silent draft he’s ever witnessed, and one where the dogs had little to do “because the sheep just flowed”.
“I have never seen calmer sheep,” Jack said, sounding genuinely amazed, “The lambs are so inquisitive. Fight and flight just doesn’t seem to impact them much. They literally just walk up to you in the pen.”
For their part, Jodie and Andrew feel that Jack has gone “above and beyond” to provide constructive input and to be enthusiastically involved in their business.
Since meeting Jack, the Greens have initiated a number of his recommendations, including the introduction of a custom ration to suit the targets they are looking to achieve – especially in regard to sheep being confinement fed. The ration includes a proportion of AIM’s Converter Sheep 40 Pellet.
"Our ration is very simple,” said Andrew, “The incorporation of Converter 40 allows us to consistently produce a quality feed product, giving superior results in our feeding program from great production through safe weight gain and profitable conversion.”
Jodie agreed, saying, “Growth rates are consistent across the whole pen – we have very tight weight ranges of finished stock.”
It seems like congratulations are due all round! Well done Jodie and Andrew – it’s clear you love what you do and do what you love, and the big winners are your happy, healthy, care-free critters!
