The Kohat Poll Merino ram breeding program has expanded rapidly over the last few years. Rivers worked at Trigger Vale studs in NSW for a couple of years and came home with both the breeding knowledge and some Trigger Value genetics to kick start the ram breeding program. Since introducing these new genetics we have seen the power of improving carcass traits in the Merino sheep and this is a significant focus for our breeding program. In 2019 we had the opportunity to scale the ram breeding enterprise with the purchase of
pedigreed ewes from one of the Merinotech WA ram breeding centres. With this purchase came the opportunity to become part of the Merinotech WA network and the ability to work closely with the Merinotech WA nucleus to breed and use the highest performing Merino genetics of their type. We continue to develop our own unique Kohat Merino type while also continuing the Merinotech type for long term clients of these sheep.

Within our Kohat type we are highly focused on the real profit drivers of growth, fat, muscle, wool cut and the number of lambs weaned. We focus on commercial performance in the paddock from a sheep type that requires only minimal intervention to be farmed with a high welfare outcome.

We are strong believers in the need for the Merino to be earlier maturing to allow both early turn-off of wether lambs in finished condition as well as the ability to join 7-month-old ewe lambs. We see joining ewe lambs as a great opportunity to both increase the genetic gain in our ram breeding flock as well as to enhance the overall productivity of our commercial flock. We are now confident we have the right genotype matched with the
right management and we can deliver good results in this program, year in, year out.