School is in for merino's

THE AWI School Merino Wether Challenge is in full swing, offering students the opportunity to step outside the classroom and gain hands-on learning experience. 

This year a record 450 Merino wether lambs were allocated to 76 schools and more than 600 students around the country, including Campbell Town District High School which has been participating since the competition extended to Tasmania three years ago.

The school received six merino wethers on April 30 from an Avoca property, and for the first time all schools taking part started on an even footing with stock coming from the same place and similar genetics.

Campbell Town High agriculture teacher Jill Bennett said it would be interesting to see the results now there’s a level playing field.

“We had some small, superfine merinos last year and come judging day the diversity in merinos was on show, from the ultrafines to the some of the heavier sheep,” she said.

“Wool prices were low and meat prices high last year so the better meat production sheep scored higher.

“It’s been really hard because we’ve not had a set of scales to weight them before but we do this time, and already we can see the effect of the colder weather which has caused them to lose a little weight.

“We’ve had to up the protein and grain in their feed accordingly and hopefully they will put on some more weight.”

Students have been busy getting the sheep used to being handled and led – it’s not uncommon to see them calmly trot into a classroom so that the emerging skills can be admired by all.

Five handlers are from grades seven to 10 participating in agriculture electives, four are year 11 and 12 VET ag students and all of the grade six students have to fight for the right to be among the chosen six to take part in the competition.

They will have to impress Ms Bennett with a persuasive writing piece outlining why they want to get involved from the start of next term.

The three classes who work directly with the sheep are learning both practical and theoretical lessons about sheep.

Topics include wool versus meat production, where they investigate the values, and changes of values.

For the Wether Challenge, students worked out that the average value of meat and wool is about $80 each at the moment so they are going to prepare the sheep to score well in both.

While the wethers arrived freshly drenched, vaccinated and treated for lice, they will be monitoring the sheep for internal and external parasites throughout the process and the students are studying their lifecycles, how sheep can pick them up and how they affect production.

“One of the really great aspects of this competition is creating awareness of the many different career choices there are in the industry, from wool brokers and stock agents to research and banking to working with wool in retail and manufacturing – it’s not all about working with sheep on a farm,” Ms Bennett said.

“The students also build their social skills and confidence throughout the process, often starting out fearful of the sheep, which can be a bit pushy and jumping, and then experiencing the pride of seeing them settle as their handling skills improve.

“There’s certainly a lot of smiles on faces as they’re paraded around the school.”

The AWI Wether Challenge will be judged at Campbell Town Showgrounds on September 24.

Participating schools are: Campbell Town, Scottsdale, Winnaleah, Cressy, Bothwell, Jordan River Learning Federation, Tasman, Oatlands, Sheffield, Lilydale, Exeter, Huonville, Dominic College, Sprent and Hagley.