““There is a big responsibility to produce a shedding sheep that strips out as many costs of production as possible, to ensure the viability of lamb production in Australia. It is increasingly vital to breed a tough, 100% shedding animal which thrives in low rainfall country but copes equally well in wet, cold conditions”
Neil Garnett spent the past 30 years in his quest to breed a highly fertile, easy care, functional animal for which red meat, not fibre, is the focus, culminating in the launch of the SheepMaster breed in 2017. The aim has and always will be to maintain the positive virtues of the foundation genetics and to breed a versatile meat sheep with a skin more akin to a cow, bred for tough Australian conditions. Powerful Damara genetics have underpinned SheepMaster over the journey. This ancient breed survived the centuries of selection pressure for fertility, conformation, temperament, strong mothering, survivability, intelligence, early shedding, feet and walkability. It’s the unique, soft, silky skin which gives SheepMaster it’s outstanding eating quality.
Following a record breaking ram sale in 2022, the decision was made to sell the SheepMaster Parent Stud and in late 2023, it was purchased by Charlie Sullivan and his business partner Mark Berry. The entire flock has since been successfully relocated from Elleker in WA, to the eastern states where we believe is the greatest opportunity for growth.
““This was a golden opportunity to purchase the entire genetic legacy of such an innovative and productive sheep breed. From the moment I learned about the remarkable work accomplished by Neil and the SheepMaster team, I recognised the tremendous potential for growth, both domestically and internationally.
I, and the entire Australian Sheep industry, owe a great deal to Neil’s visionary leadership’. Shedding sheep are emerging as key players in the sheep industry, providing producers with options to manage rising costs, address animal welfare concerns, and mitigate variable climatic conditions.”