Nudies strip off to perform

In just over a decade, Low Footprint Lamb ‘Nudies’ have adapted to major changes in the sheep industry. 

Since purchasing their property near Hamilton 11 years ago, owners Matt and Brigid Kelly have focused on breeding sheep that meet market demand while thriving in a low-input, easy care system – with no shearing, crutching, footbathing, jetting, or drenching adult sheep.

One of the biggest changes in recent years has been the market’s move towards heavier carcasses, Matt says.

“Ten years ago, there were industry discounts if we exceeded 24kg carcass. Now we are paid a premium up to 34kg,” he said.

“This is a 40 per cent increase in carcass weight – the biggest change in the history of our industry, all within 10 years.”

Matt said for a ram producer, that has meant making a relatively large genetic shift in a short period.

“In 2016 our sire team average post weaning weight (PWT) was 6.6, in 2021 it was 8.5 and in 2026 it is 13.9, with one sire at 18.4 in the top five per cent. We have focused on growth, as it is clearly what the market wants. Also if you are feeding lambs, you can’t expect them to grow any more than 300 grams per head per day, unless they have the genetics to achieve that.”

Fertility has also always been a focus.

“We have successfully introduced high fertility genes from the best maternal composites and have two rams in our 2026 sire team that are in the 30s for weaning rate (WR). 

Our 2026 sire team average for WR is 15.2. 

“I think the sweet spot is somewhere in the 20s if you don’t want too many triplets,”

“This year, 745 mature ewes, marked 1,154 lambs (155 percent from scanning) and 284 ewe lambs marked 329 (115 percent from scanning).

This was on 84 hectares, that’s over 17.5 lambs produced per hectare. They can run at high stocking rates because they don’t have the wool-growing energy cost, they are highly worm resistant and are positive for genetic condition score.” 

Over 920 of these lambs were tagged at birth and will be performance recorded in Lambplan.

Worm resistance is another important part of the operation. We have the most worm-resistant flock in Australia on Lambplan.

“Our ewes over the age of 15 months have not been drenched since 2020 and pre-lambing worm egg counts (WECs) came back this year at 50 and 0, lamb marking WECs on the ewes were around 240 epg and by the time we wean them they will be back under 100 epg. 

“Our 220 ram lambs ran at 24 per Ha in Winter and reached 940 epg before getting an individual WEC and drench. This was their last test before we let them muscle up and shed during Spring.”

The Low Footprint Lamb Open Day is on November 25 on farm at Croxton East. Ram Sale on AuctionsPlus November 30.

For a copy of the ram sale catalogue contact mpblkelly@gmail.com or visit lowfootprintlamb.com.au