Deep Dene was founded in 1967 by the late Harry and Dawn Berry with one ram and 70 ewes from Whyandra Stud in Georgetown. Whyandra stock were re-introduced annually up until 1974 when Harry bought “Big Bone” an Ecclefechan ram which was a game changing ram. 

Changing hands from Harry and Dawn to Lloyd and Christine in 1981, saw the move from a Merino Stud to a Poll Merino Stud. Poll bloodlines were introduced from Moorundie Park, Charingas – Munchy Junior and 83. Rockbanks – Big Softy (a favorite) was introduced to maintain body structure and increase production and continue Lloyd and Christine's objective of growing big, strong, straight body sheep with soft, white free growing long staple wools.

 

More recently genetics from Nerstane, Centre Plus Poll, Hazeldean, Moorundie and Yalgoo bloodlines have been introduced - all through A.I programs. Each introduction has been strategic and added to improve linkage and to make improvements to the productivity and quality of Deep Dene’s genetics.

 

The incentive of having low maintenance sheep meant that Lloyd and Christine spent more time in the Berry Partners cropping enterprise and the sheep spent more time in the paddock being sheep.

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When Christine took over the books from Dawn, she found a love for figures and spreadsheets. She records everything, truly believing that one day she’d have a database to enter it all into.

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"With data records going back 30+ years we are able to predict the most likely scenarios in production within a given rainfall pattern - pasture growth, crop yields and stocking rates" Christine Berry

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Along with Christine’s immaculate data recording, she and Lloyd believed without comparing yourselves with other farmers you can’t continually strive for better production.  

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"You can never know everything, and you can always learn something from someone else". LLoyd Berry 

 

So, the era of benchmarking began. 

 

They have been part of The Kangaroo Island Sheep Production Group since inception in 1997 and are now members of the Farm Owners Academy (since 2016).  Both groups are led by veterinarians who are leaders in the expert knowledge of sheep husbandry, bench-marking and productive, profitable farming enterprises. Deep Dene productivity has increased along with other farming enterprises who consistently strive for improvement and finding better ways of doing things.

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Late 2015 daughter Caitlin came home to work on the family farm after 4 years at The University of Adelaide studying a Bachelor of Science, Animal Science. Her passion is sheep: breeding high quality merinos, nutrition, welfare, husbandry and working on a sustainable, productive healthy farm. 

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The rams selected for Deep Dene's commercial and nucleus mobs are classed first on phenotype at a young age and for the duration of their life. This has been the same selection process since 1967 and ensures confirmation and constitution remain of high importance annually. 

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"It is essential that the best sheep have outperformed the year drop by thriving in their environment and by doing it grazing pasture." Lloyd Berry

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ASBV's are another tool in the toolbox used on Deep Dene to ensure they're selecting the right mating to meet their objective. ASBVs were created for the commercial producer to see through the smoke and mirrors of the traditional stud game. Check out Sheep Genetics Merino Select, and search for Deep Dene using their stud ID 600896. More informed decisions are made in the selection process due to the use of ASBVs. To read more about ASBVs click here.

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"The Constitution, Confirmation, Conversion and Coverage of a ram is equally important in ram selection as objective and ASBV's to ensure your breeding sheep for the future." Caitlin Berry

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Going forward sires will continually be selected for Deep Dene Nucleus mating's that fit the objective of low maintenance sheep, that are proven, profitable, performers. ASBVs are used to back up the objective and phenotypic data captured to ensure the rams selected create continuous improvement for commercial enterprises. ASBVs also help our clients select the ram that most suits their own breeding objectives, whether it be breeding a dual purpose self-replacing flock with high worm resistance or breeding for a merino production self-replacing flock, increasing CFW/ha and increasing body size.

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With Caitlin's fresh knowledge on current breeding practices and Lloyd and Christine's 30+ years in breeding sheep, Deep Dene have the know-how and the tenacity to breed productive low maintenance rams for your commercial enterprise.

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