Agriculture
Walcha Sheep Grazing
The Walcha district has a temperate climate which, combined with the soil type, rainfall, altitude and pastures, provides an ideal foundation for our highly regarded grazing industries. The Walcha district is well known for its ability to establish and grow strong, healthy pastures and produce high quality cattle and sheep.
The Walcha district is suited to almost all types of grazing pursuits however wool and prime lamb production together with cattle breeding and fattening are the major grazing activities.
Wool production has made the Walcha area famous throughout Europe and Asia. Our wool has for many years been sought after and purchased by the world's top spinners for use in the manufacture of the finest quality cloths and garments. Our climate is ideal for high yielding, bright, fine wools with evenness of tensile strength throughout the staple.
Many of Australia's finest merino studs such as Emu Creek, Mirani, Yalgoo, Auchen Dhu, Shalimar and Petali, with foundation flocks, are located in the Walcha Shire. Indeed Auchen Dhu, in 1996, demonstrated the strength of breeding in their flock by winning the three major Australian Merino Breeding Championship with their ram Auchen Dhu Minister. The Shire boasts a merino flock of approximately one million head.
Prime lamb production is generally confined to the more productive higher rainfall areas of the Shire. Lamb produced in the Walcha Shire satisfies the demands of Sydney, Brisbane and coastal markets.
Heavier lambs are selected for the export market. With improved, high protein pastures, lambs are turned off as suckers at 10 to 12 weeks of age. Poll Dorset and White Suffolk sires are especially selected for carcass quality and performance. Lamb export markets have expanded considerably in recent years and that expansion looks set to continue.
Beef Cattle Production in the Walcha Shire is centred on several enterprises. Firstly there are cattle breeders who produce weaners for the annual weaner markets which are held each autumn. The breeding females are grazed with sheep and calves are dropped each spring following the cold winter months. At eight months of age these calves are sold to specialist cattle growers and fatteners. When 'grown out' they are sold to processors for both the domestic and export trade.
Specialist cattle enterprises are generally confined to the higher rainfall areas of the Shire where strong soils and pastures combine to produce a high quality, grass fattened product.
The Hereford and Angus breeds are the foundation of most herds in the Walcha district as they are the breeds which perform better under the local conditions.
