48 years of records behind every ram

KANANGA Pastoral, Waterhouse, will offer Merino and Poll Merino rams at the Campbell Town Multi Vendor Ram Sale on Friday, December 4.

The Bignell family has performance recorded its stud ewes for 48 years, breeding heavy cutting, easy care sheep for its own self-replacing flock on 600mm country in the North East. Lambs have been DNA parent-tested since 2019 and every ram sold carries Sheep Genetics breeding values.

Nick and Ben Bignell travelled with the Elders China wool tour this year and came home with a clear brief from the mills. “They want strong staples and high quality fine wool, but most of all they want more of it,” Nick Bignell said. “That is exactly what we have been breeding for.”

On Sheep Genetics data Kananga’s current drop cuts 50 per cent more clean wool than the average recorded Merino, at finer micron, and has held that margin over the breed for ten straight years.

The family has costed it. At current AWEX prices a ram from the top 20 of the drop puts about $1,270 a year of extra wool into the bale from 100 daughters, over a breed-average ram.Plenty of sheep cut heavy and plenty cut fine. 

Kananga’s also hold their staple strength, averaging about three points above the breed across the drop, which is what the mills are paying for.

For the past 20 years the stud has also selected for worm resistance, low dag and low breech wrinkle, so the daughters need less drenching and less crutching.

The top ram of the drop, NP4 58, is in the breed’s top five per cent on the Wool Production index with an adult clean fleece weight ASBV of 30, staple strength of 3.1 and a yearling worm egg count ASBV of minus 29. He is staying home as a sire.

Four 2024-drop Poll Merino rams go to Campbell Town, averaging 17.8 micron and 8.6kg greasy at their two-tooth shearing, all inside the breed’s top 20 per cent for adult clean fleece weight.

Private sales are open now, with 2025-drop rams available from February. Merino wethers are also for sale.

Inspection is by appointment. Contact Roger, Ben or Nick Bignell on 0448 123 109 or kanangagrazing@gmail.com. Figures for every ram are at kananga.com.au.