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Australian Superfine Wool Growers' Welcome Our New Members

Inglefell Wool - Mr Gavin Thorn

Gavin Thorn is a recently retired School Principal, who with wife Beverley, has established a small speciality superfine wool operation in the historic WA town of York.  Their property, Inglefell, is nestled overlooking the township, in the picturesque Avon Valley, 100 kilometres east of Perth.  Gavin’s family have been involved in the sheep and wool industry for five generations and now he has the opportunity to continue the tradition.

 

Inglefell commenced its focus on superfine wool production in 1983 with the purchase of fine wool ewes from Pine Grove.  This consisted of the collection over a lifetime of quality superfine ewes by Charlie Frost.  A pure saxon Glenara(Vic) ram was purchased in 1984.

 

In 1993 , a saxon line was established with the purchase of 25 Saxon ewes and one ram from Avondale Hills(Victoria).  The operations were consolidated through an artificial insemination programme introduced in 2003, firstly using Winton(Tas) and then Trefusis(Tas) pure saxon semen. 

 

In 2008,the Ledgerton(NSW) daughter Stud, Maryamma, was purchased.  The Saxon Stud ewes and Ledgerton semen were transferred from NSW in time for a an Artificial Insemination programme in January 2009. 

 

Inglefell Wool prides itself in producing low micron wool with excellent elasticity and a well-defined crimp suitable for Italian suit manufacturers. 

 

Inglefell runs a small flock of 200 ewes.  With progeny testing over the last 15 years, focusing on a low co-efficient of variation of fibre diameter, wool is produced that has distinct ultra soft handle.  The flock is also culled heavily to maintain a micron average that is consistently in the mid 15 range. 

 

The flock is rugged to ensure low vegetable matter wool and focuses on minimal chemical use, producing sheep that are plain bodied and un-mulesed.  The sheep also demonstrate a high resistance to worms. 

 

Inglefell, with its focus on pure saxon bloodlines is well placed to make an important impact in the ultra fine wool industry of Australia.

Gavin Thorn with Brontie

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Drs Richard & Odette Williams - Moascar Superfine Merino Stud "Ashgrove"

Walkaway is a small rural town on the fertile Greenough River flats near the coastal city of Geraldton, Western Australia.  It is home to a family of vets who have an interest in farming and merino sheep breeding.  Richard Williams, the son of two local vets, worked with his Dad's 21 micron merino sheep on the family farm on his holiday’s home from boarding school and university.  With his wife Odette, he sought out foundation Saxon ewes in 1987 from a closed flock that had belonged to well known WA fine wool producer, Art Wheeler, of Gnartiminny Stud (FN 1541) of McAlinden.  Two drafts of CFA ewes from Art Wheeler's nephew, Peter Wheeler, came to us, followed by some commercial Saxon hoggets of Rockbank blood.  The sheep weren't called "superfine" then - they were distinguished as Saxon's and had some status in the fine wool world! Other sheep followed from Roland Ritson's Grindon Stud and some rams from the fledgling WA Superfine Woolgrowers Association draft in the 1992 Kojonup Stud Sheep Breeders Sale.

Odette & Richard used their best-practice principles from Animal Breeding & Genetics courses at Murdoch Vet School, and commenced hogget fleece testing as an adjunctive means of selection from 1988.  Based on their highest clean fleece weight for the finest microns, the best 10% of the ewes were the only ones used for ram breeding.  Father in law, Alex Williams, a long time sheep man, advised on the importance of plain bodies for flystrike prevention, and the wide set horns, and kept an eye on our classing.  Beautiful, high price wool production has always been our primary interest.

Fifty Stud Ewes and two Rams from Roland Ritson's Grindon Stud came to give us a start in the Stud game in 1999, and Moascar Superfine Stud was registered.  They are managed on a fertile, 140 acre farm with a historic cottage named Ashgrove at Walkaway.  From early on, we elected to run a superfine wether flock for wool production on the family farm, and at most were able to run 400 sheep.  Their wool has made the State top price at auctions in 2000, 2002, 2006 and in a June 2009 WA Sale we took out the three top prices to 1293c/kg clean.  We have generally produced 7-10 bales annually and are running at 16.2 micron whole clip average.  Our finest bale (so far!) was 14.8 micron.  Sheep are mostly coated from October to July to cover the windy, dusty times.

Two rams have improved our wool immensely in the last decade.  One was a Grange Superfine Stud son of Lorelmo 246, a past winner of the World's Finest Ram project in Victoria.  However, Cromarty Zenith (G87), used for two seasons by AI, has had the biggest influence.   He became a national trait leader on the Fine Merino 14% + Staple Strength Index in the Merino Superior Sires listings.  At present, 25% of our ewes and 70% of our rams are direct progeny of his, and they were definitely superior in clean fleece weight, style, whiteness, SD and Staple Strength when tested in their hogget groups.

Fleeces from Cromarty Zen progeny have won for us six years worth of Champion or Reserve Champion Fleece & Highest Points Trophies at local Agricultural Shows including Northampton which is a quite big and traditional sheep stud area.  They also gained placings at Perth Royal Shows, the World Merino Conference Fleece Competition and two wins at Elders Fleece Competition in Walcha, NSW. 

Most years, small numbers of rams have sold locally.  Averaging the results from all 35 rams bred over 3 recent seasons showed a 3.3kg Clean Fleece Weight of 15.8 micron with a Staple Strength of 35N/Ktex and a CV of 15.4%.  Naturally the top rams in each of these three groups had better figures again. 

Unfortunately, the drought years caught us rather overstocked, and with age and ill health catching up with us, we are currently reduced to a nucleus of 75 Stud ewes, one year’s draft of hoggets, the current lambs and around 7 rams, but those remaining are really selected on all merits including fertility.  The areas merino numbers have been decimated by droughts and the swing to lamb production, so ram breeding is off the agenda at present.