Complete Lindon SAMM clearance

The Land Newspaper, 28th January 2010, By SAM NORRIS.

Below Johnnie Beynon & Landmark wool and stud stock agent, Angus Carter-Walcha, with the $1750 priced ram bought by Terry & Sheryl Bradshaw, Central West SAMMs, Springdale.

THE planets are aligning, according to stud breeders, John and Lyndie Beynon, Lindon South African Meat Merino (SAMM), Uralla, following their third complete clearance of 50

rams last Thursday. Bidders, they said, were moving to capitalise on record lamb prices while being able to breed a self-replacing flock, and phase out mulesing.

The Beynons achieved an average of $1232 for the Helmsman sale, which was conducted by Landmark and interfaced with AuctionsPlus. A disputed bid meant lot four had to

be auctioned afresh a few days later, on Monday, resulting in a top price of $1900, as paid by Michael Jones, Aberdeen Estates, Tumut. Mr Jones, a first-time client of the Beynons, bought seven rams in total. On the Tumut Estates mixed farm, “The Poplars”, Wyangle, the SAMM rams will be run among a flock of 4000 sheep, two thirds of which are fine wool Merinos and the remaining third Border Leicester/Merino. The SAMMs will be used to produce a second-cross lambs for domestic consumption and for the nucleus of a composite ram over the superfine Merinos.

The volume buyer and new client, Stuart and Prue Barkla, Rosscoe Downs, Cunnamulla, Queensland, bought 11 rams averaging $1130 to a $1400 top. Mr Beynon said it was a pleasing result. “We are concerned the average is sneaking up, because we have always

believed in producing a high number of affordable rams,” he said. “But the sale of 50 grade rams after the sale at $500 each means clients still have access to good value SAMM

genetics.”

Landmark wool and studstock manager, Angus Carter, Armidale-Walcha, said the lift in average from $928 last year came down to a quality article. In total, it was calculated there were 550 bids made across two hours, equivalent to 16.5 bids a minute.

Who said the SAMMs not a meat sheep

Below Johnnie and Gwynne Beynon pictured wth

Lindon Samm carcasses on display in the Meat Hall at the Ekka.

After five years of hard work, extensive embryo transfer programs, investments in the complete purchase of two SAMM Studs and extensive flock classing, the Beynons are ecstatic with the results 'Lindon Samm' is achieving both in the paddock and hanging up on 'the rail'.

 SAMM lambs have been awarded 2nd and 3rd place in the largest carcass competition in Queensland.

The Prime Lamb Australia feedlot at Clifton entered the lambs in the 'Leitch Pastoral Group Prime Lamb Carcass Competition' at the Ekka, 'Royal Queensland Show' on behalf of the Beynon’s last week.  Second place was awarded to the Beynon’s lambs in the 'Pen of Three Restaurant Lambs' class.   

The SAMM performed extremely well considering it was up against all the more traditional meat sheep such as Poll Dorsets, Suffolks and Dorpers, proving the SAMM is truly a meat sheep with Merino wool.

"The lambs were sent to the feedlot due to seasonal conditions at Lindon," John Beynon said.

"They were fed for six weeks, gaining 470grams per day, which is an achievement in itself. The lambs weighed 71kg full weight, 34kg dressed, achieving a 48% dressing percentage."

The lambs entered were a combination of 1st and 2nd cross SAMM/ Merino lambs. 

Prime Lamb Australia have played an important role in the shift from fine wool production to prime lamb for the Beynons.

"It takes time to improve pastures which were traditionally used for fine wool production," Lyndie Beynon said.

"Feedlots provide us and our clients with the option to contract feed or outright sell our store lambs while cells are being added to our existing rotational grazing system at Lindon."

The Beynons are also excited with the fertility potential of their SAMM flock. Pregnancy scanning of 147 percent has been achieved at Lindon this year, including maidens, in the driest first half of the year on record.

“I am so glad we are focussing on meat, not wool. Life would be pretty depressing if we had stayed on the same track five years ago. Our hard work is really starting to pay off with the SAMM being such a maternal and meaty sheep” Lyndie said. 

“The SAMM is really set to dominate the Australian sheep industry in decades to come, being a self-replacing meat sheep with Merino wool,” John said.

"Every cross back to the SAMM increases your bottom line with increased carcase yield, increased growth rates, increased fertility and better feed converters all the time remaining a Merino fleece."

Lindon lines up complete clearance

The Land Newspaper, 26th February 2009

Below: David Hingston, “Cheriton”, Cressy, Tasmania, purchased the equal top-priced lot at $1400 at the Lindon SAMM sale.

UNSTABLE wool prices and the looming 2010 mulesing deadline were key motivators among vendors at the second annual Lindon SAMM on-property ram sale. Conducted by Landmark Armidale under the Helmsman system, a total of 37 rams sold to an average of $927 – $40 stronger than last year – for a complete clearance.

Two lots achieved a top price of $1400, selling to Tasmanian buyer, David Hingston, “Cheriton”, Cressy, and Guyra producers, Ray and Janice Nutt, “Kalangi”. Mr Hingston’s purchase had Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) for yearling fibre diameter of -0.5 (73per cent accuracy) and a yearling rate figure of 2.4 (71 per cent accuracy),with a SAMM $index of 112 and eye muscle depth (EMD) of 39 millimetres. This was one of four rams Mr Hingston bought for an average of $1100.

The Nutts paid last year’s top price of $1100 and were so impressed they came back for more. Their equal top-priced ram was listed as having an ASBV yearling weight of 5.1 (70 per cent accuracy) and a yearling fibre diameter of 0.2 (73pc accuracy). The Nutts’ goal is to produce wool consistently at 21 microns in a selfreplacing flock of about 1200 ewes. “We like the idea of staying with a little bit of wool, while targeting the prime lamb market,” Mr Nutt said. Among the volume buyers were Butler Family Investments, “Camperdown”, Armidale, which topped at and averaged $800 for seven rams at auction and one flock ram after the sale. Speaking on behalf of the owners, property managers, Russ and Kate Hearn, said they were after 15 rams but had to be content with seven, due to some spirited phone bidding by AuctionsPlus registered bidders. AuctionsPlus bidders, Dugald and Fiona Cameron, “Kanowna”, Bollon, Queensland, bought eight rams from the 37 head sale team offered at auction, then a further 20 flock rams after

the sale.

Vendors, John and Lyndie Beynon, “Lindon”, Uralla, were thrilled with the results.

THE SAMM cross in demand for export, feedlot

The Land Newspaper, By Andrew Norris, 22nd January 2009

The SAMM/superfine Merino Lambs at Tim and Karen Wright’sproperty, “Lana”,  Kingstown, were weaned last week and they’re looking good. Mr Wright said while he only weighed a few, at three-and-a-half to four months of age they were 30 kilograms – 25 to 30 per cent heavier than his pure superfine Merinos at the same age. “Some are 35kg – the early drop ones,” he said. With the SAMM cross in only its second year, he said he aimed to sell finished lambs from his native pastures with an added bypass protein supplement.

The heavier lambs would be aimed at the export market at 50kg by May-June and the lighter lambs at the local trade at about 45kg. This meant they had to gain 10kg to 15kg after weaning, with autumn rain needed to do the job properly. However, if they didn’t make these markets, like last year, they were shorn and taken through the winter. They were then sold direct to a feedlot at Goondiwindi, Queensland, at 45kg for $60 to $65 a head with no agent or trucking fees. “The feedlot was very happy with the way they performed,” he said. This was helped by the handling in the Wrights’ rotational grazing system and having been fed supplements from troughs, with minimal losses in the feedlot.

Culled ewes worth more at Kingstown

The Land Newspaper,By Andrew Norris, 22nd January 2009

MAKING the most of those surplus Merino ewes after classing is something Kingstown district graziers, Tim and Karen Wright, have figured out how to do. They use South African Meat Merino (SAMM) rams. They run about 6500 sheep, mainly superfine Merinos (about 16 micron), including 2500 ewes, on their farm, “Lana”, at Kingstown, west of Uralla, with the remainder replacement hoggets (14.5 to 15 micron) and about 200 wethers for wool cutting. Since 2007, Mr Wright has joined his surplus ewes, which were classed out of the self-replacing superfine ewe flock, to SAMM rams. These “second grade” ewes have increased in number as the Wrights have increased the intensity of their superfine ewe selection where the removal rate from the superfine breeding flock went from the bottom 15 per cent to 30pc of the flock to increase the average fleece quality. This gave him a total of 500 “second grade” ewes each year, from which he had to find a new way to make money. After trialling two breeds, Mr Wright opted for SAMMs, as about 250 of the 500 ewes added to the “second grade” flock each year were maiden ewes, so lambing ease was important. Along with good lambing ease, he found the ewes joined to the SAMM rams had a higher marking percentage – 85pc to 90pc marking rates from ewes joined at one year old. The stock on “Lana”, both sheep and cattle, are run on natural pastures and are grazed in a rotational grazing system.

The ewes were joined in April for a mid-September lambing and shorn in August to keep the break in the fibre caused by lambing near the tip. The SAMMs they used came from John and Lyndie Beynon’s Lindon stud nearby in the district as they

found their sheep appealing for their constitution. Mr Wright said they were also a Merino type with no medullated fibre and their wool could be classed as Merino. He was also aiming to produce a first-cross ewe with 18- to 19-micron wool which could handle terminal sires such as Poll Dorset or a White Suffolk, or which he could sell to other breeders. The breeding program was similar to what the Wrights had done with their cattle, joining Gelbvieh/ Hereford cows to a composite bull

containing Simmental/Devon/ Angus, bred at “Wombramurra”, Nundle. It was this concept of a “free lunch” gained from the heterosis that was also applied to Mr Wright’s sheep enterprise by crossing the superfine ewes with SAMM rams. He said when they were born, the SAMM-sired lambs weren’t too different in shape from the Merino lambs, but they seemed to have  a stronger constitution. “ I think these (SAMM/superfine) sheep are very good for the export trade,” he said. “They’re big, framey sheep.”

2008 AgQuip

Our 3rd year at Gunnedah's AgQuip proved to be a very busy and exciting one. 

Thankyou to everyone who visited us at site N35 and to those who completed the carcase weight guessing competition this year. We were overwhelmed with entries.

The correct weight, being 33kg was guessed by four entrants, one of these being picked out of the hat. The lucky winner of the $500 credit voucher for our On Property Ram Sale is from Narrabri. Congratulations.

Parasites

We are very passionate about producing commercially affordable and profitable genetics for our clients.

Today's farmers are faced with many challenges, such as uncertain seasons and increasing costs of inputs. Energy needs to be put into new ways to increase productivity.

This energy has led us to the WormSTAR, as Lindon Samm is the first SAMM stud in Australia to embrace the revolutionary world leading DNA test for parasite resistance in sheep. This is a new tool to use in your parasite management strategy.

What does the star mean

Each star represents a gene which gives the animal both greater parasite resistance and productivity.

Represents -7% to -12% reduction in FEC and is heritable in 100% of progeny.

Represents -2% to -9% reduction in FEC and is heritable in 50% of progeny.

No Stars represents a standard ram.

Preliminary tests in our flock have returned exiting news. Not only do our sheep have a very high level of stars. The entire Lindon Samm flock consists of NO BAD STARS

All Lindon Samm animals have a DNA profile.  WormSTAR results can be obtained on all rams upon request.

Stud sire 060191, has long soft white wool, a great body and .

Supreme exhibit at the 2008 Dubbo Show, 060157 has also turned up a perfect .

Beyond the Road to 2010

Whether you agree in the pending mulsing deadline or not, the SAMM will help you gain that mulsed free status quickly, and without loosing your Merino status.

The SAMM is a plain bodied sheep. At Lindon Samm we are also selecting for a naturally bare breeched animal.

All ewes flushed in our 2008 embryo program, had to be bare breeched.

Fly strike is not tolerated at "Lindon". Fly treatments and preventatives are not used in our flock. Any animal stuck by flies, either breech or body, is culled and removed from our flock immediately.

Lindon Samm animals are exposed to a high summer rainfall in full wool - that's pressure!

Lindon Lines up big win

The Land Newspaper, 1st May, 2008, Brad Wilson

Prime South African Meat Merino (SAMM)

awards were shared between Steve and Geraldine

Gough, Belmore stud, Yeoval and the Beynon family, Lindon stud Uralla.

The Junior and grand champion ram exhibited by Belmore stud came head to head with the senior and grand champion ewe, exhibited by Lindon Stud.

The judge opted for the ewe as the supreme exhibit.

Her sire, 040039, was purchased in a 50 percent partnership by the Beynon family from Sunnyside stud, Western Australia, for $10,000.

Weight, not size at Uralla

The Land Newspaper, By Amy Lewer, 14th February 2008

Since John and Lyndie Beynon introduced Prime SAMMs to their Merino ewes they’ve jumped some rather large hurdles.

After only four years their Uralla property, “Lindon”, has become a household name in the New England for producing a true self replacing dual purpose sheep.

John and Lyndie Beynon believe maintaining the carcase on their SAMMs is the easiest part.

“The challenge lies in the wool -if we focus too much on micron we might lose the carcase and fertility traits the SAMM has to offer, " Mr Beynon. Mr Beynon.

He said combining two commodities; meat and wool, into one enterprise was challenging.

“Meat remains the main focus for Lindon SAMM, targeting early maturing animals with weight behind them, not size.”

“The meat buyers pay on weight, so weight is our focus, enabling our clients to turn off heavy lambs at an early age.”

Defying the odds, Lindon Ready to hold first on-property

The Land Newspaper, By Amy Lewer, 14th February 2008

THE dual-purpose meat and wool breed, Prime SAMMs (South African Meat Merino), have gained a foothold among the traditional fine wool growing enterprises of the New England.

Uralla Prime SAMM breeders, John and Lyndie Beynon didn't think they would get much of a response when they began breeding Prime SAMMs five years ago, but interest in the breed has steadily increased.

“We thought selling the SAMM traits to New England Merino breeders would have been a hard task but we were overwhelmed with the response,” John Beynon

Their ability to produce exceptional prime lambs has resulted in a 100 per cent increase in demand in the past 12 months.

“The reason for the demand in the New England is that producers have the benefits of the prime lamb production without losing their Merino wool status - a true self replacing meat sheep with Merino wool,” he said.

And finally, after years of dedication it the SAMM breed, the family has announced their inaugural on-property ram sale to be held on March 14.

Mr Beynon said Lindon SAMMs were offering 40 grass prepared rams.

The Beynon family originally bred Merinos on 1822 hectare property, “Lindon”.

The change in direction came after a friend suggested they try a few SAMM straws in their artificial insemination program.

The results impressed the Beynon's tremendously and they switched from Merinos to SAMMs almost immediately.

“We were putting the SAMMs through he cradle and they couldn't’t fit", Mr Beynon said.

“Compared to the Merino they were miles ahead – they’re born wanting to survive, following their mothers around everywhere.”

The Beynon's were thrilled with their commercial SAMM progeny but found an opening in the stud game when they were purchasing rams for $3000 from a limited gene pool.

Mr Beynon said he approached Western Australian SAMM stud, Cull am, in 2003 to create Lindon SAMMs and by 2007, the Beynon’s purchased their share of the stud, because of increased popularity.

“I guess producers are able to take advantage of both the rising wool market while producing export quality prime lambs with the SAMM.”

To expand their gene pool even more, the Beynon’s recently purchased 105 SAMM ewes and 160 rams from a breeder in Walcha, providing valuable outcrosses from Australia and South Africa.

The investment will enable Lindon SAMMs to produce around 150 rams annually for both the New England and western pastoral districts with further increases planned.

The family also pride themselves on using the most updated technology available for their operation.

“We continue to DNA test and performance record every animal, and recently adopted the Practical Systems Stock Hand system for accurate recording of every sheep,” Mr Beynon said.

They will admit that this year the unusually high rainfall of 440 millimeters since October 2007 has been ideal for flies.

"Everybody has had the same issue, but we have a zero tolerance to fly strike - any animal affected by it is culled immediately" he said.

Mr Beynon said in 2007 they started monitoring their clients’ results from their genetics, with results soon made available from the New England to Central Queensland.

One Lindon first-cross line of wool averaged 19.8 micron, a co-efficient of variation of 18.7pc and averaged 830 cents in a June 2007 market.

Ten-month-old, first-cross carcase, processed by Country Fresh Australasia, weighed 29.6 kilograms dressed.

Field Day - February 2008

Graham Jackson CEO of Country Fresh Australasia remarked at our recent field day held on 14th February 2008

"the yield in the SAMM carcases is as good as any meat sheep. Not only are the carcasses yielding as well as their traditional contemporaries, we are now paying a premium on the skins of the SAMMs. We can pay $3-$4 a skin more than the traditional X bred skins, because they are "merino" skin". Graham finished by adding "he see's an excellent future for the SAMM in the Australian Sheep meat industry in Australia".

SAMM the true meat sheep, rewarding with the true Prime Lamb Rate and 100% Merino Fleece.

Current News

Supersheep

You may have read in recent articles from the World Merino Conference that "The largest gene mapping program is about to yield exciting new tools to fast track efforts to breed superior sheep" Professor Phillip Hynd.

These tools will come in the form of gene markers to help sheep breeders select for actual genes responsible for superior performance in a range of desired traits including fibre diameter, muscling, parasite resistance, eye muscle etc. "There are some already here and there's a whole pile in the wind" Prof Hynd Said.

At Lindon SAMM we have a DNA profile on every stud animal and will continue to DNA test all progeny born. This not only provides us with accurate parent verification but also opens the doors to the new gene markers when they become available.

We are very much looking forward to the release of "Calligype" gene (Greek for "nice buttocks"). Sheep with this gene show extreme muscling in the buttocks along with other carcass characteristic genes.

When the gene markers become available they will enhance the profitability of the sheep meat industry. Prof Hynd also stated " gene markers would also improve the accuracy of estimated breeding values (EBVs) and would pave the way for the treatment of pregnant ewes to improve the wool and meat production of their lambs"

The bare breach gene is another important gene that is currently being tested. Until its release we are actively selecting for a natural bare breach in our flock.

Objective measurements are a key priority at Lindon SAMM. Technological advancements are occurring all the time and we are embracing them, however equally as important to us is the use of subjective visual.

Samm symposium hosted by Lindon Samm @ Uralla

Guests attending the Symposium in February 2006 at "Lindon" Uralla.

In February 2006, Lindon SAMM hosted a Symposium on behalf of the Eastern States SAMM Society.

The day was held to introduce the breed to the New England and North West. The day was a great success with numbers in attendance in excess of 180.

There were four studs displaying, along with locally bred F1 an F2 lambs.

The day began with a round robin moving between three speakers 1. Stewart Meatheringham from Cydectin 2. Sam Gill discussing MLA's ASBVs. 3. Derick Tink demonstrating Practical System's Farmhand program.

Six carcasses were displayed in a cool room for viewing. Three being F1 SAMMs and three pure Merinos, all of which were the same age and had been running together in the same conditions. They were then butchered and displayed on trays for cut, color, texture and size comparison. The F1 proved to have superior characteristics in all categories compared with the merino. The Kingstown P&C cooked the lamb steaks donated by Lindon Grazing Co served on yummy Turkish bread & gourmet condiments. The P&C were thrilled with the fundraiser and were grateful for our donation of the six sheep. Along with a local café "Filling Groovy" donating the Turkish Bread. Unfortunately an error on our behalf was to serve both Merino and F1 lamb. You could really tell who was eating which lamb. One was noticeably tender.

The afternoon speakers included Peter Corish - National Farmers Federation President and LambFeedlotter, John Jackson - Country Fresh Australia and Bill Cordingley - Rabobank's Senior Analyst. We were thrilled to have such high profile industry speakers at the Symposium. A big thank you to the sponsors Landmark, Elders, Compass Feeds, Genetic Technologies, Rabobank, Practical Systems and Fort Dodge.

SAMMs Getting results

The SAMM is offering flexibility to diversify into prime lambs while still remaining a 100% merino flock. Fertility is enhanced with a 10-15% increase in each cross, along with hardiness and high feed conversion ratio's, which all equate to more profitability for the commercial producer.

With SAMMs rapidly growing in Eastern Australia, producers are seeing the results and being rewarded highly for them. The Vickery family from "Dobikin" Bellata recently (August) sold first cross lambs to Country Fresh Tamworth at 10 months of age, which averaged $108.58 head, dressing extremely well at 47% full weight.

"Dobikin" Bellata, F1 SAMM lambs, averaging $108.58, yielding 47% full carcass weight at 10 months.

The average live weight being 62.5kg and 29.58kg dressed. These results have been achieved with the same genetics that Lindon SAMM is based on.

We have been overwhelmed with enquiries since Lindon SAMM was established and have had 100% clearance of our 2005 drop rams. We will have on offer in excess of 120 rams from our 2006 drop from mid to late 2007.

With all modern technologies being utilized at Lindon, we are still maintaining an affordable product for our clients, while providing peace of mind with 100% SAMM genetics . We are the most commercially affordable SAMM seed stock supplier in Australia.

Sheep Industry slow to follow Cattle's lead

Look at the cattle industry. They are putting certain sire lines in feedlot's because they are known to perform well with the tool of EBVs guiding them.

At Lindon SAMM we believe that Meat and Livestock Australia's ASBVs will help shape the way for the lamb industry like the cattle industry.

All animals born at Lindon SAMM are registered with Lambplan's ASBVs so we can utilize the figures for our own management They also allow our clients to maximize on productivity by selecting certain traits that are important in their operation, i.e. muscle, fertility, growth, birth weight, domestic or export markets.

Lindon SAMM animals can be viewed on the SGA web page providing information such as pedigrees and ASBVs, which include maternal weaning weight, scrotal circumference, birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight and adult weight, along with the maternal $Index and SAMM $Index. This data can be obtained by visiting www.sheepgenetics.org.au

We have been thrilled with the results with our flock being ranked in the top 10% of the breed for SAMM $ index.

Ag Quip 2006

Lindon SAMM displayed for the first time at Gunnedah's Ag Quip, which is visited by over 100,000 people over the three day event.

Dubbo Show 2007