Strong figures stack up on Anna Villa, Omad exhibits in production judging

The Ferguson family took a large team of top-quality sheep to this year's Adelaide Show, and it helped them to clinch the maternal lamb production class.

Anna Villa stud principal Anthony Ferguson, Weetulta, said that between himself and his son Cameron's Tiparra Springs stud, the family brought a team of 24 sheep across from the Yorke Peninsula.

"It's the first time since 2013 we've had such a big team," he said.

But with White Suffolks being the feature breed at Adelaide this year, it offered an extra incentive to put a large bunch of exhibits together.

Mr Ferguson said the ram in the winning production group would be a keeper in the stud.

"It's one of our highest index rams, so we'll keep him because of his pedigree and figures," he said.

The 14-month-old ram weighed 117 kilograms with eye muscle depth of 47.5 millimetres and fat score of 8.5mm.

The competition is judged on one ram and two ewes aged under 1.5 years and is based on ASBVs, skin, wool, breed type, market suitability and uniformity.

Anna Villa scored 69.71 points, and Allan Piggott, Illoura, Moorlands, was runner-up on 68.55 points. In third was Mark Grossman, Koonawarra, Angaston on 68.53 points.

In the terminal judging, Damien Hawker's Omad stud from Kaniva, Victoria, came out on top.

Judged on the pen of two rams under 1.5 years that are even in type and maturity pattern, exhibit high yielding carcase characteristics and good growth for age, Omad stood out.

Mr Hawker said it was the first time he had taken out the section win.

"It's a great honour to win it and just to show the emphasis on commercial traits in a commercial flock," he said.

One of the rams will be offered as lot 4 in Omad's on-property sale, while the other will be retained for stud duties. The ram for sale - a July drop - weighed 119kg with 49.5mm EMD.

Omad scored a total of 177.01 points, followed by Induro White Suffolks, Wakool, NSW, on 174.87 and Ivadene Poll Dorsets, Greta, Victoria, on 169.12.

Lamb production - maternal, terminal

Judges: Ian Turner, David Pipkorn, Nick Cheetham

Exhibitors: 14

Entries: 19

Lamb production maternal champion: Anthony Ferguson, Anna Villa, Weetulta

Lamb production terminal champion: Damien Hawker, Omad, Kaniva, Vic