It was five years ago when Andrew Jaeschke, of Hilltown, began using the Ashmore White Suffolk sires and he hasn’t looked back.

Already running Merino ewes, Mr Jaeschke wanted to diversify his flock to help allow for quicker maturing, better meat producing lambs - that’s where the White Suffolks came into play.

Mr Jaeschke, wife Michelle and son Lachlan, run 2000 breeding ewes at Hilltown and over some eastern country at Robertstown.

Since supporting Ashmore White Suffolk, following their purchase of a number of sires from Wheetlande’s dispersal sale, Mr Jaeschke hasn’t looked back.

“We have been very happy with what they have been doing,” Mr Jaeschke said.

With Merino ewes already on property, the family have crossed the white suffolk breed with about 40 percent of the flock to allow for better meat production and an early maturing lamb.

“We added in the white suffolk for the meat side of things and we were looking for an early maturing lamb with good growth rates to try and capitalise on the early sucker market and the Ashmore sires have enabled us to do that,” he said.

He said the Ashmore White Suffolk sires were a “very good” fit with their own ewes and were predictable with their breeding figures - their ABVs.

“Lambing percentages are consistent, they’ve all been at the 120 per cent mark, which is great for our program,” Mr Jaeschke said.

With a May-June lambing, Mr Jaeschke said they were able to effectively meet their target of late-October to early-November sucker market by using the white suffolk breed.

A quick and effective turnover of lambs allows the Jaeschke family to keep stock rates up and preserve feed for the ewes in early autumn.

“We are not trying to grow an overly big product, but a fast-growing one. We have been working with their figures for a number of years and feel that they are heading in the same direction. I feel they are at the forefront of white suffolk breeding and their (Ashmore) figures support that.”

He said the Ashmore White Suffolk sires were a “very good” fit with their own ewes and were predictable with their breeding figures - their ABVs.

“Lambing percentages are consistent, they’ve all been at the 120 per cent mark, which is great for our program,” Mr Jaeschke said.

As relatively new clients of Ashmore White Suffolks, Mr Jaeschke said Nette and Troy were great people and really easy to deal with.

“They are doing a great job with what they are doing. I think their breeding figures support that. They’re certainly not static, they are very progressive thinkers on their ASBVs,” he said.