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Learning from past kill sheets and refining his lamb production system, Rodney Drage (RK Drage) of Mt Barker, alongside his workman Arthur Jones, has reclaimed the title of WAMMCO’s Producer of the Month for January 2025.

Rodney operates across 1,000ha, consisting of 500ha owned and 500ha leased, where he produces crossbred lambs with 2,500 Merino ewes joined to Suffolk rams and a hay enterprise. The Suffolk rams are part of Rodney’s developing stud which focuses on paddock-managed rams with strong constitution, good length, and well-developed hindquarter muscling to ensure they perform well even in challenging seasons.

His lambing system begins on Boxing Day when rams are introduced to ewes, resulting in a May to early July lambing window. In most years, the ewes are supplemented with a combination of pasture hay, lupins, and Kojonup Feeds Sheep Finisher pellets during the six weeks before lambing. This approach provides a nutritional boost for the ewes while allowing early germinating pastures to establish. Rodney uses the Mt Barker Pasture Mix, sourced through Nutrien Mt Barker, which consist of a blend of Astro tetraploid Ryegrass and Persian and Balansa clovers. This mix promotes early pasture growth and extends the availability of green feed well into Spring when seasonal conditions permit.

By analysing previous kill sheets, Rodney has successfully reduced carcase defects. He previously identified that pulling wool can cause significant carcase bruising and implemented a monthly dog worming program to limit Ovis cases. The most notable improvement however came from incorporating Eryvac into the farm management program, which reduced the incidence of arthritic lambs to a third of previous levels.

Rodney has built strong relationships with Nutrien Mt Barker stock agents over the years, initially working with Charlie Staite before his retirement and now with Jarrad Hubbard. Approximately 70% of his lambs are weaned onto trucks and sold between late October and mid-December, averaging 22kg. The remaining lambs are finished in a feedlot designed within natural bushland, which provides ample ground cover, shelter, and fresh water from a dam. This setup helps minimize health issues commonly associated with dusty feedlot pens.

Lambs weighing under 46kg are weaned, shorn, and placed into one-hectare feedlot pens in mobs of 150. On entry, lambs receive a drench, a B12 booster, and high-quality pasture hay. Each pen contains two to three feeders filled with Kojonup Feeds Sheep Finisher pellets. Rodney opts to purchase the pellets in bulka bags for ease of filling the feeders as well as reducing the risk of the pellet crumbling by multiple passes through augers. Olssons All Season Trace Element blocks are also provided to stimulate rumen activity, improve feed intake, and accelerate weight gain. Rodney has observed that lambs consume the block eagerly at first, but intake levels stabilize after a few weeks.

The winning consignment for January was the second feedlot draft for 2025. A total of 108 lambs were processed, averaging 21.43kg and achieving a perfect WAMMCO Sweet Spot score.

Looking ahead, Rodney remains optimistic about the lamb industry but acknowledges concerns. Livestock numbers in his region have dropped by 20% following the failed 2023 season, which led to many producers shifting to cropping programs. Finding large-framed eastern wheatbelt Merino ewes as replacements will also become increasingly difficult as more growers exit the sheep industry.

Despite these challenges, Rodney’s continued focus on efficiency, quality, and adaptability ensures that he remains a standout producer in the industry.