Chrome online

Results speak for themselves
The last couple of years has presented some challenges for marketing and sale of livestock, however the confidence in proven products and outcomes has ensured the good ones have sailed through quite well. Chrome Sheep Studs has embraced online marketing to run alongside the physical traditional type marketing systems for their on-property ram sales. Now the “norm” for the marketing of many products and services it looks like online selling is here to stay.

Chrome principal Matt Tonissen said they have been impressed by the continued support from many long-term and new clients over the last two years. “The results demonstrate that hard the work of the Chrome team, incorporating visual and performance data recording, and a progressive quality genetic improvement program, are meeting client’s business objectives,” Matt said.

Self-Replacing Maternals

When it comes to maternal genetics Chrome has all bases covered. Three breed options offer producers a range of rams to suit their needs, across varying climates, lambing dates, and ewe bases.

The Chromedale is the mainstay of the maternal flock and is the preferred self-replacing option for most producers.

The Chromedale “ELFie” (Early Lambing Flocks) is a maternal strain of rams that are designed to produce daughters to lamb earlier than the traditional maternals.

The Perendale offers that extra element of hardiness, worm resistance and slightly smaller frame score. Coopworths, which are slightly stronger in the wool, cross well with merino ewes and cope especially well in higher rainfall zones.

All maternal ewes are bred for high fertility, lamb survival, worm resistance, tough well- structured feet, and the potential to mate ewe lambs. Selection for moderate frame score and mature ewe weight is also important, as is ewe efficiency. All these traits add up to an easy-care resilient breeding ewe, capable of toughing it out in the extreme conditions of Southern Australia, both in the wet and the dry. 2000 ewes mated and another 1000 ewe lambs results in high numbers of recorded lambs, which ensures only the best rams make it through to sale.

Terminal Sires

A real success story, the Icon Southie has been a great initiation, bred to supply a fast growing early maturing terminal sire, which is also suitable as a terminal sire for maidens, ewe lambs and merino ewes. Now containing predominantly Southdown genetics, the lambs hit the ground running and their early maturing attributes result in a very easy doing lamb that is marketable straight off mum or easily finished. Their tight downsy skins also make them an attractive option on strong wool ewes and for saleyard selling. “It’s great to hear so many success stories regarding the Icon Southies”

The Icon Poll Dorset leg of the Terminal sires at Chrome offer a stable traditional meat sheep option with a difference. Shorter in the leg, early maturing and lots of muscle makes for easy doing sheep that offer great shape and carcass. Gone are the days of big, long leggy slow maturing terminal sires. In Matt’s opinion “Lambs sired from high growth early maturing sires are the way of the future”

Chrome provides a range of additional support to their clients, with free ram delivery, a structural soundness guarantee, and to help volume buyers, every sixth ram is free at their sales.

Matt makes himself available to visit clients’ farms to help assess the ram team and provide an up-to-date ASBV list they have in their sire team. “One of the most rewarding things about doing what we do is seeing our commercial clients prosper and progress to run more efficient and profitable operations” Matt said.

The Chrome sale is on October 6. For more information visit www. chromesheepstuds.com.au