Poll Merinos: a Woodpark specialty

Image: Woodpark Poll Merinos

When we started breeding Poll Merinos more than two decades ago, we were in a minority. The Merino rams and commercial flocks were highly regarded, sought after in sale yards and the wools were known for their softness, quality and style.

Owen Huggins had a vision of an easy care flock which would carry on the wool quality and lambing percentages of the highly fertile Woodpark Merinos. He aimed to breed a poll which would be low maintenance and low cost to run, and would repay its producers with less hassle, a streamlined frame which delivered high fertility and a productive balanced animal with options.

Image: Cameron Clark, Stephen Huggins and Caleb Thomson with Woodpark Poll blood “Eurolie” commercial ewes in the 2010 Peppin Shaw ewe competition at Hay

The longevity of the Poll Merino breeding program at Woodpark means there has been no haste — our breeding toward the sheep with such balance we see today has been a measured process of gradually developing an uncomplicated skin type. Today the sheep have a very mobile skin on a body with depth and carcase. The transition to this plainer body has been made without sacrificing the crucial fleece attributes of weight and quality. With their mobile, high fibre population skin, the characteristics that deliver soft, good processing wools with excellent fleece weight.

The Poll Merino Stud‘s breeding program uses a mix of visual appraisal and objective measurement in making selection decisions. We have a long- standing commitment to breeding the sheep for a modern market — soft, fine/medium, well nourished wool on a productive sheep with a fertile mother.

The 4000 head stud and commercial flock is run on 28,000 acres of native Riverina grasses and bush country at the Huggins’ family’s “Eurolie” Hay.

2010 Ram Sale

98 of 100 Poll Merino rams sold at auction for $1621 average to $3100.