Final sale brings Melton Vale stud era to an end

Bramwell Heazlewood is known mainly for two things – growing grass seed and raising top quality meat sheep.

At 75 years of age he’s still working on his farm, Melton Vale, alongside son Ritchie, as a transition takes place, and a new course is steered, to ensure viability for generations to come.

His influence in the seed industry is still evident – he’s the go-to guy for anything to do with chicory or clover and as a member of the Tasmanian Seed Industry Group he was the driving force behind the 12th International Herbage Seed Group Conference in Launceston recently which boasted 170 delegates from 15 countries.

He’s spent the better part of a lifetime breeding Poll Dorset sheep, continuing the tradition of meat sheep stud lines on the property since the first stud was established by his great-great grandfather in 1854.

But the ram sale held at Mona Vale on Wednesday afternoon will be the last.

Of the 139 rams offered all but one was sold, with an average price of $1647.83.

Lots 4 and 13 both fetched the top price of $3200 and sold to Nosswick Pty Ltd of Blackwood Creek.

The amazing result was applauded by more than 70 fellow breeders and buyers who turned out for the sale by Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Bramwell’s wife Prue worked quietly in the background, catering and answering questions in the lead-up to the sale taking place.

“We’re not breeding sheep anymore because we want to cut down on the workload that comes with running a stud and focus on the more commercial side of things,” Bramwell explained.

“Ritchie is taking the farm production to another level, where the commercial side is all-important.

“He’s a good judge of livestock and we work together well – it’s a decision we’ve made together.

Ritchie returned from studying agriculture at Lincoln University in New Zealand eight years ago in readiness for the succession plan at Melton Vale.

He’s spent the past few months getting the yard tidied up, the rams shorn and catalogued ready for the sale.

“It was a tough decision to end the stud but it’s something you do more for the love of it than the money and no one could be as passionate about it as dad,” he said.

Melton Vale is currently growing perennial, white clover, pyrethrum, peas, poppies, beans, potatoes and forage brassica seed as well as 2500 ewes for prime lamb production and 50 Hereford cows.

Bramwell started breeding Poll Dorsets in 1967, alongside stud cattle and the mixed farming operation. 

His grandfather had a jersey stud that produced many a champion cow and the family has also bred English and Border Leicesters and horn Dorsets over seven generations.

His brother Brenton still has lines from the original flock of English Leicesters his family established in 1871.

For a long time the Whitemore district was considered to have the most concentrated areas of stud stock in Australia, both sheep and cattle, with the Heazlewoods among the main players.

The progression to Poll Dorsets was influenced by Lyall Stewart at Valma who established one of Australia’s foundation herds.

“We actually made the decision to discontinue the stud about 12 months ago, and at that stage lamb prices were going backwards,” Bramwell said.

“After last year’s sale we reduced the number of progeny significantly – in this game you make a decision and it has a long-lasting effect.”