
The Karrawarra Highlander Breed Evolution
” There was those that came before us, but we are those that remain… we do not fear change, for if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got. “
Highlanders provide maternal traits to drive productivity and profitability that result in an efficient self replacing ewe.
Focusing on traits that are important for self-replacing breeding flocks, the Highlander is a low maintenance ewe that is resilient and rears healthy, fast growing lambs. They incorporate traits that are essential for self replication and survival under adverse conditions.
Highlanders bred as a maternal composite are a highly efficient animal that drive profitability via their moderate adult weight of 65kgs while weaning up to 180%. Their fast maturing lambs can achieve a trade market weight of 23kgs within 18 weeks.
Add these dates to your diary. Next stop - Leo, Vanessa & Hannah are off to beautiful Tassie. See you there. #karrawarra #highlander #campbelltownshowtasmania #nutrienagsolutionsau ...
Sales Wrap
🐑 3 Rams topped the sale at $4000 – Lots 10, 43 & 44.
🐑 Sale averaged $2819
🐑 Full clearance.
We are humbled by the support from existing and new clients and look forward to partnering with you to achieve your breeding objectives.
A huge thank you to our sales team - James Croker & Tim Woodham @nutrien_wagga_livestock Holly @auctionsplus, the talented @bijmin Swart for our fantastic catalogue and Hugh McKay @mountain_duck_media for editing my ram videos.
#karrawarra #highlander #springsale2021 #commercialflock ...
Just over a week to go until sale day - 28th Sept @ 12:30.
Have a flick through our catalogue. You’ll find an awesome graphic explaining ASBVs with our sale team benchmarked against maternal breed averages.
Website: https://www.karrawarra.com.au
Catalogue: https://www.karrawarra.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Karrawarra-Ram-Sales-Catalogue.pdf
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw1CU0_ABVmukYuYT_WW62Q/playlists
AuctionPlus: https://auctionsplus.com.au/auctions/sheep/karrawarra-highlander-and-focusprime-ram-sale/55775
#karrawarra #highlander #springsale2021 #commercialflock @nutrienstudstocknsw @nutrienagsolutions_au @nutrien_wagga_livestock @nutrienlivestock_tas ...
Really happy with survival rates in our lambs this year which is sitting around 95%. Scanned at 171% and just marked 163% off 2500 ewes lambing in 3 mobs of about 800. #highlander #maternalefficiency #karrawarra ...
A preview of 2021 Highlander sale rams is now available on Ram Select.
For assistance benchmarking your own ram team, please contact Hannah on 0438554356 https://www.ramselect.com.au/#/searchByCatalogue/Maternal/1135 #springsale2021 #karrawarra #highlander #AuctionsPlus ...
Spring is in the air. Canola’s flowering, pastures pumping and lambs are looking awesome. FocusPrime lambs out of Highlander cross ewes. #maternalefficiency #karrawarra #highlander #focusprime ...
#springsale2021 #highlander #focusprime #Auctionplus #nutrienlivestock ...
Shearing, wool weight and a micron test for the #highlander ewe lambs before lambing next month. Thanks to MoreWool Shearing. #karrawarra ...
It has been humbling to be named a Farmer of the Year finalist along side 17 other farmers from across Australia. Thank you to Weekly Times & Coles for acknowledging the incredible job some 128 000 Aussie farmers do everyday to feed the world. Congratulations to winners Matt & Alli Reid of Otway Milk.
#highlander #karrawarra #nswfarmers #itstartswithag #viewfromtheland #aussiefarmers
Article: Weekly Times ...
Assessing 7 month Highlander ewe lambs as part of MLA’s More Lambs trial with Jason Trompf & Elise Bowen. @TrompfJason @sheep_data_mgmt #commercialflock #highlander @meatlivestock ...
“The biggest advantage our clients see is the moderate ewe size, coupled with immediate increases in fertility and survival from the first cross. They also deliver in terms of efficiency per hectare, manageability and the shearers love them.
The Highlanders are excellent mothers from day-dot. The weaning percentage is what’s really amazing. We lose very few lambs with very little input.
Survival is extremely high. Many customers find they increase survival and decrease adult weight from the first joining.”
Hannah Anderson
Stud Manager Karrawarra Pastoral
The Highlander® breeding program focuses on breeding an efficient self replacing ewe. In our program we measure reproduction from mating ewe lambs onwards, lamb growth, survival, adult weight and wool traits. In addition to these traits, we are incorporating robustness and longevity traits by measuring worm resilience, ewe rearing ability, ewe body condition score and ewe stayability.
The Highlander index is focused heavily on maternal traits for the ewe’s lifetime performance with greater emphasis on reproduction. We measure reproduction from mating ewe lambs onwards, lamb growth, survival, adult weight and wool traits. In addition to these traits, we are incorporating robustness and longevity traits by measuring worm resilience, ewe rearing ability, ewe body condition score and ewe stayability.
Highlanders are notoriously hardy sheep. Our focus on lower mature adult weight means you have to feed your flock less whilst still getting high yields.
The Highlander breeding program has included parasite resilience over many years which, along with ewe body condition score and stayability traits, are incorporated into the index.
Emphasis in the Highlander Index on lamb survival in addition to ewe body condition score and stayability, significantly contributes to the sheep industry’s wellbeing performance indicators.
“The Karrawarra’s Highlander breeding program commenced in earnest embarking on a two-year program utilising 1800 embryos across its commercial ewe base. Embryo selection was undertaken in New Zealand with a team of vets and geneticists determining capture of genetically superior animals and ensuring genetic diversity.”
Karrawarra Pastoral runs a commercial flock of over 8100 Highlander maternal self-replacing ewes. A testament to the success of the Highlander and FocusPrime breeds, our commercial flock has achieved genetic gain year on year.
This gain validates our breeding practices as we strive for commercial success that we can pass on to you.
“It takes 20% less feed to maintain a 65kg ewe than it does to maintain a 85kg ewe and if you’re feeding 1000 ewes for a week, that is (a) $400 saving. As well as this, we aim to have ewes lambing down at twelve months, which increases productivity over the lifetime of the ewe”
Leo Herbert
Karrawarra Pastoral
” There was those that came before us, but we are those that remain… we do not fear change, for if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got. “
The FocusPrime rams we bought in Feb 2020 have produced high growth progeny with remarkable survival rates out of easy doing highly fertile Highlander Ewes. The Xbred lambs have great hybrid vigour looks with square backs and early maturing attributes. We also found Hannah very helpful and feel confident she knows what it takes to breed a ram that suits our business. Charbel Rizk – Nerinyerrie, Harrow VIC
“One of the things I like about Highlanders is they put a lot of emphasis on mothering ability and they cull for it.”
A feed efficient sheep, bred to consistently deliver more kilograms of lamb weaned per hectare.
Terminal genetics focused on maximising growth, survival, yield and providing a better and more consistent eating experience for all.
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