Producer Profile - Ridgehaven Poll Dorset Stud
- Sheep Producers Australia
- May 13
- 3 min read
Updated: May 25
In Central West NSW, siblings Isabele & Peter Roberts, Ruth Klingner and Floyd Legge run three intertwined enterprises:
Ridgehaven Poll Dorset Stud – breeding rams for the prime-lamb industry
Bowan Park Poll Dorset Research Flock – progeny-testing industry genetics to fast-track new traits
Commercial lamb operation – proof-of-performance for Ridgehaven rams in real-world conditions
What: Ridgehaven Poll Dorset Stud, Bowan Park Poll Dorset Research Flock and commercial lamb production.
Why: The family uses meat processor feedback for continuous genetic and management improvements and believe these vital relationships are the key to the development of the lamb industry.
Where: Central West, NSW
Tell us about your business?
Data - the capturing, analysing and practical application of it - plays a huge role in the family’s three businesses. Ridgehaven Poll Dorset Stud supplies quality genetics for the prime lamb industry with the family’s Bowan Park Poll Dorset Research Flock using progeny testing to validate genetics from across the industry as well as identify and develop new genetics. This progeny testing includes measuring live animal and carcase performance traits as well as visual assessments. Ridgehaven rams also underpin a commercial lamb operation that sits alongside the stud and research parts of the business as a way to verify and demonstrate the real-world use of these genetics.
What sets you apart?
Genetic and management decisions are based on carcase feedback from the family’s primary meat processors Breakout River and Gundagai Meats. Establishing close relationships with these processors ensures Isabele and her family are producing lambs customers want.
Why is this important?
Supplying exactly what a customer wants has benefits for Isabele and her family business, as well as the meat processors, their customers and the entire lamb and sheep industry. On-farm, producing lambs to hit a specific target, delivers market security. In times of lamb oversupply, processors are more likely to find space for lambs that meet their specifications, while in times of supply deficit it can mean better prices. For the stud and research operations within their business, consistently delivering lambs that fit processor specifications is evidence of the quality and performance of the Ridgehaven genetics under commercial conditions. It provides ram buyers with confidence in Ridgehaven genetics. From an industry perspective, Isabele and her family believe meeting customer needs ensures they are fulfilling their role in the supply chain and helping everyone work towards a more successful lamb industry.
How is data collected, analysed and used across the business?
When the data comes from the processor, it’s imported into an excel spreadsheet that Isabele set-up specifically for analysing carcase information. This spreadsheet was built in two hours and the data importation takes approximately five minutes. Examining the data, the focus is on carcase weight and dressing percentage, lean meat yield and intramuscular fat. These metrics are compared with expected results and benchmarked to previous lamb consignments. From here, and depending on the results, management decisions could be altered for the current drop, or genetic changes made for future breeding years. For example, processor feedback could indicate the next consignment of lambs could be sent at condition score 4 instead of 3, aiming to improve carcase dressing percentage and intramuscular fat, while still meeting lean meat specifications.
What’s important for the future of Australia’s sheep and lamb industry?
Relationships between lamb producers and meat processors will become increasingly important for the future of ‘professional lamb production’. This looks like understanding what processors want, including weights, fat and eating quality specifications and then using genetics and management to deliver lambs that fit this criteria. With information flowing both ways there’s room for continuous improvement - good news for customers - and sustainable growth for the industry.