Pooginook Poll Merino

We’ve bred through droughts, market shifts, and generations of change, staying true to our clients since day one. Joining Paraway Pastoral Company in 2007, Pooginook evolved from a historic Riverina stud into a top Merino breeding operation. Our story started over a century ago, shaped by tough seasons and bold goals. Today, we span 19,656 hectares within Paraway’s 4.4 million-hectare portfolio, supporting over 250,000 sheep across varied climates. Scale matters, but it’s our grit, adaptability, and producer focus that define us.

Our Foundation.

Pooginook Merino Stud began in 1912, breeding sheep to survive the Riverina’s toughest conditions while delivering quality wool and meat. Led by the Taylor family—Cuthbert, then Raymond and Maurice—the stud earned a reputation for resilience. Their Merinos produced fleece that earned premiums for length and fineness at auction.

By the 1980s, fleece weighing became standard to ensure reliability. “Our focus has always been on performance, not prestige,” they emphasised. By 1989, artificial insemination scaled to 5,500 ewes, prioritising results over tradition. Pooginook rams thrived where others failed—a standard we uphold today.

Our Evolution.

Paraway Pastoral Company’s acquisition of Pooginook in 2007 marked the start of a transformative era.
Supported by scale, investment, and innovation, we embedded full-flock DNA testing, integrated ASBVs across our operations, and drove a new era of precision breeding — shifting selection from instinct to informed, measurable outcomes.

Producers soon saw the results: increased growth rates, higher lambing percentages, consistent fleece value, and stronger do-ability, thanks to our focus on breeding plainer, easier-care sheep. Pooginook genetics today are well on the path toward lowering annual cost of carry, without sacrificing performance.

Our progress is backed by results: a large range of PGK ASBVs now rank within the top 30% of the industry. From the introduction of micron and fleece weighing in the 1970s to full genomic selection today, Pooginook has continually adapted — delivering rams that work harder for your bottom line, season after season.