Billa Burra Burra
Poll Merino and Merino Stud
ABOUT
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
Billa Burra Burra sheep are based on 238 Manderley stud ewes purchased in 1979, and the 500+ Tara Park ewes acquired in the 1980’s and 90’s. Also influential were 75 Linthorpe stud ewes of uniform and ringmaster families added between 1987 and 1990, and 38 Merryville ewes purchased in 1989. Also influential were 40 Wonga stud ewes were purchased in the 1980’s. 10 Manderley rams have been used in the stud with Man.6 the most influential. About 10 Tara Park rams were borrowed through the 1980’s and 1990’s, with Joe and his father, Gruber, having the most influence. In 1989, an Arabar Poll ram (PP) was used. He proved to be a sire of great stud quality.
In 1988, we began an annual AI program and by 2000 we were performing all our own laparoscope AI. In 2004, we used an Allala Poll ram (AI) who bred Loppy and Ben, who were both influential in the stud for many years. Our current breeding sires are strongly influenced by our old Man.6 family, our 4.1 family, our Silky family, and both Ben and Loppy. We will continue to progress to all polls, with early maturity, constitution and heavy bone with rich heavy wools.
BREEDING & MANAGEMENT
We have always bred big sheep with good rich heavy wools. We select for temperament, doing ability, heavy bone, good feet and soft skins, with pure deep crimped lustrous fibre. Lambing percentage is the biggest profit driver for our business, and we are working to achieve 150% weaning rate from our stud ewes. All ewes rearing twins are run separately on our better paddocks. All lambs have been mothered, tagged and recorded since 1979. Breeding ewes are not classed for age, and the top ewes remain for as long as they are sound. Culling occurs at lambing, shearing, and post-weaning.
In 2023 we joined 850 stud ewes. 200 lambed in May, followed by the main lambing in Sept/Oct. All ewes were joined to poll rams. We chose not to A.I. any ewes this year, deciding instead to give the best ewes to our top young rams. They have all bred soft, supple, productive skins with great head and bone. Very correct. See our sires for profiles on these young rams.
Our business is run using holistic thinking. We currently have 105 paddocks on 350 hectares, and practice timed grazing. We are excited to be practicing regenerative agricultural principles, and we are excited to be breeding productive and profitable merinos. We offer a free classing service to our clients.
RAM SALES & EVENTS
On Property Ram Sale
The annual on property ram sale will be held on Friday 6th October 2023.
Presale inspection day Saturday 23rd September
or by appointment.
We offer free classing services to all clients.
Full photo catalogue available here.
For enquiries, please contact Keith.
Selling and Displaying at:
GSSM Show & Sale February 2024
@ Bathurst Showgrounds
Australian Sheep Show and Ram Sale 2024
@ Bendigo
Dubbo National Merino Ram Sale August 2024
Southwest Slopes Merino Field Day August 2024 @ Harden Showgrounds
SIRES
Wool shot of AL.
2023 TEST RESULTS: Mic 17.4 | SD 3.1 | CV 17.9 | CF 99.7
AL
Born June 2021 (PH)
Al has a lot of stud presence. His wool is deep crimped and lustrous with a stud lock. Al has September 2023 lambs. They are big growy lambs with heavy bone and good heads. A real stud builder.
GONOSH
Born May 2021 (PH)
Gonosh is very much his mother’s son. He looks like her; walks like her. He has both parents’ excellent temperament. He rates at 200% on our fertility index being a twin, with both parents twins and his mother’s mother a twin. His grandfather (Glen) is a triplet. His twin sister is the best sheep in the mob. We have over 100 May 2023 lambs by him and look forward to having them in our 2024 team. They all have his exceptional staple length and are big, long and deep. Gonosh is unmulsed.
2023 TEST RESULTS: Mic 17.1 | SD 2.1 | CV 12.3 | CF 100
2023 TEST RESULTS: Mic 18.1 | SD 2.8 | CV 15.7 | CF 99.8
GURRAGON
Born June 2021 (PP)
Gurragon was an early favourite for growth, barrel, good feet and top wool. His May 2023 lambs are impressive for stud presence – head, bone and skin quality. Like his father, he will be a real stud builder.
WOOLLY
Born June 2021 (PH)
Woolly is an interesting sheep for wool quality and coverage. His great grandmother (Gaz 79) had beautiful rich quality wool, and his great grandmother (Black 400) still had a magnificent underline at 8 y.o. His September 2023 lambs are growy types with pure skins. We joined him to top ewes with top quality wools, well covered with bone and good feet. Over 80 lambs in the book.
2023 TEST RESULTS: Mic 17.5 | SD 2.3 | CV 12.9 | CF 99.9
ALFOXTON 190 258
Born September 2019 (PH)
258 is a tall, long and deep bodied ram with good bone.
2023 TEST RESULTS: Mic 17.9 | SD 2.8 | CV 15.7 | CF 99.9
HINDI
Born 2018 (PP)
Hindi complies with the first law of stud breeding: he has excellent temperament. Hindi carries the head quality and presence from a long line of top ewes. He also carries the swintless white wool of old Glen. First drop of lambs are 1st class.
2023 TEST RESULTS: Mic 16.1 | SD 2.7 | CV 16.8 | CF 99.8
ORRIE COWRIE ALAN
Born 2018 (PP)
Bred by the Dallar family, Orrie Cowrie. A ram with great bone and constitution, Al is long-bodied and barrely with a quality head. Al breeds true to his strengths: all his lambs have bone and barrel with good heads and long staple length.
MUNDY
Born 2018 (PH)
Bred by Drew & Laura Chapman, West Plains. Mundy has great barrel, depth and length of body with good bone and head quality. He is maturing into a very valuable sire. First drop of lambs are 1st class.
SPIDER
Born 2018 (PP)
Bred by Poll Boonoke. We went to Poll Boonoke looking for a son of White River 546 and came home with the one we wanted. Spider has a long, straight back and a soft, long-stapled, well-aligned wool. His first drop are eye-catchers for type and balance and they carry his quality wool.
GRASSHOPPER
Born 2017 (PH)
The biggest and heaviest-cutting ram of his drop. He is our biggest ram and breeds big, long sheep with a good wool.
GLEN 68
Born 2017 (PH)
Glen 68 is an early maturing ram with bone and masculinity, with a quality wool.
3
Born 2016 (PH)
3 is a great doer, always in great condition. His mother was a long, deep-bodied special with great head and bone. His father’s mother was a silky daughter, beautifully made with excellent feet. He is breeding barrel and constitution with bone, good feet and great heads.
GLEN
Born 2015 (PH)
Hindi has replaced old Glen. He still has a run as back-up.
GALLERY
CONTACT
Keith McGrath
"Billa Burra Burra"
1087 Black Range Road, Yass, NSW, 2582
Phone: 0428 625 658
Email: billaburraburra@hotmail.com
