Bob Hall and Vic Curnow from ‘The Countryman’ August 19, 1971
Founded in 1971 by Vic Curnow and consultant Bob Hall, the Darkan Ram Breeding Co-operative continues to provide performance-bred merinos to farmer members in the high rainfall zone of Western Australia. Now being steered by a breeding committee of consultants and farmer members, the third generation managers James and Hamish Campbell continue to employ the latest breeding techniques to maximise genetic gain in members’ flocks.
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The origins of the Darkan RBC are closely intertwined with the beginning of the Australian Merino Society (AMS). Local wool growers were dissatisfied with the cost and rate of genetic improvement gained from using stud sheep, and the difficulty in finding rams that were selected in similar conditions to those under which their progeny would run.
A group of 12 local farmers guided by Bob Hall investigated the co-operative model that stud breeder Jim Shepherd operated at Kwolyin. Shepherd received a percentage of clients’ top performing ewe hoggets in exchange for elite rams. By accepting top performing ewe hoggets from clients, the gene pool from which to breed superior rams grew. To gain access to Shepherd’s elite rams in the numbers required, it became clear that a ram bulking depot in Darkan was needed which could then distribute rams to members. Vic Curnow was nominated to manage this bulking depot under the banner of the Darkan Ram Breeding Co-operative on farm at The Angle.
50 years of quality ram breeding
The Darkan RBC would send a percentage of its top ewe hoggets to Shepherd’s Central Nucleus at Kwolyin in exchange for several elite sires. As the second tier, the RBC would breed ‘bulk up’ rams using the received elite sires and distribute them to third tier members in exchange for a percentage of their top ewe hoggets and a fee. This scheme became known as the AMS, and over the next two decades grew to over 100 second tier bulking depots and 1200 3rd tier member flocks drawing from a population pool of over 3,000,000 breeding ewes.
The Darkan RBC left the AMS in 1989 due to differences in breeding objectives, and the desire to use new breeding techniques including the earliest incarnation of ASBVs in merinos – pedigree BLUP EBVs. Today we operate as a stand-alone breeding operation using cutting edge genetic tools such as Matesel, DNA testing, AI and ASBVs in addition to visual selection to distribute rams. While physical contributions have stopped, the co-operative ethos remains. Members are encouraged to attend our annual field day to class and cull rams, have their say and elect representatives to the breeding committee.
Celebrating 50 years
of Ram Breeding
excellence
