As a child he was affected by the massive barrel that De Quincey imparted at “The Vern” and observed the competitive effect that this had at Ardno, South Boorook and Golf Hill.
As a late teenager he loved measuring cattle and always wondered why the lightest cow was the first to be culled even though she had often weaned the heaviest calf.
These two lessons were later to become the core of his breeding philosophy – the ability to do, the ability to produce and reproduce.
By 1992 after 15 years of Merino breeding and a wool crash he glimpsed the meat vision and had a fling with the Rambouillet only to discard them for downsy wool within 2 years.
Upon first viewing the Dohne in 2003 he realised that the fibre for food generation was waiting at the gate and so purchasing a “second-hand” Uardry ram he went commercial in 2004.
In September 2005 he purchased 5 Uardry flushing ewes for $2000 each, selected by the then Uardry manager Chris Bowman. A further 15 ewes were selected the same way in January 2007 followed by 348 stud ewes in December 2008 and another 125 in December 2009.
“I wanted to breed barrell with the softness and fleshing to handle the protein rich pasture and damp climate.”
“I admired the wearability of the Dohne’s mustering speed, high fibre grass only diet, respect for fences, maintenance ease and do-ability.”
“Heavy foot and apparel Wool Ratio selection enhances productivity, whilst reproductivity is driven by Wean Ratio, which links NLW to both growth rate and smaller adult size” Mr Rogerson said.
He purchased UD080867 for $6000 at the 2010 Dubbo National Ram Sale to Grand sire the Stirling Dohne type caster ST140079.
At the 2012 Uardry Dispersal Sale a $5000 sire was added along with 82% of the 2006-08 special stud ewes, 250 classed tops from 880 or 78% of the total 2012 ewe lamb drop of 1130 and 2 semen packages. Purchases totalling $100,000 or the second highest for stud uses.
By 2010 Stirling reached sales of 100.
By 2019 lifetime NLW in the Wean Ratio family averaged 148% whilst their wean ratio average was 68%.
By 2020 the 2 year classed stud ewes adjusted to a 3CS bases averaged 8.3% Wool Ratio.