Polwarth Sheepbreeders' Association of Australia

Secretariat:
Mr R G Bowles
Prince of Wales Showground Bendigo
PO Box 1053
Bendigo Vic 3552
Ph 03 5444 4646
Mob 0419 500 892
EMAIL

Polwarths are easy-care sheep which give very high dollar returns per hectare. They:

• do well under a very wide range of conditions
• produce heavy fleeces of high-value wool
• produce good trade carcases
• are excellent prime lamb mothers

  Polwarths for Wool

  Polwarths produce a super type wool - stylish, white, long-stapled, soft-handling and high-yielding.

  Under average conditions, it is visually a 58s/60s fleece which averages about 23 micron, with a staple length of 100-120mm.  In recent years many studs have dramatically increased the size and fleece weight of their sheep and many commercial flocks now cut an average of 6-7 kg a head.

  Polwarth wool has a very high resistance to fleece-rot - repelling water and drying faster than shorter, tighter fleeces - making the breed well suited to wetter areas.

  They are straight bodied sheep with few wrinkles which minimises the potential for flystrike.

  Polwarth fleeces are very even and because the rams throw to their own wool type, flocks are noticably even and wool clips are easy to class with a minimum number of fleece lines.

  Polwarths for Meat

  As a meat sheep, Polwarths produce lean carcases. They do not run to fat and are ideal for the lamb and mutton trade where minimal fat is demanded by consumers.

  Lambing percentages are consistently high, allowing high culling rates for replacement ewes. Many producers are selling pure prime Polwarth lambs for the local and export lamb market.

  The fast growth rate and early maturity of Polwarths mean they are well suited to supplying the ram lamb export market (with a top quality fleece shorn before shipping). Shipper wethers are also keenly sought after for their size and ideal, lean carcases.

  Polwarth ewes are known for their mothering ability and some studs have placed an emphasis on lamb growth rates, which automatically incresses milk production in future generations.

  Polwarths have the ability to be mated throughout the year and at an early age, with minimum lambing problems - increasing their versatility and productivity to the commercial sheepman.