
East Bungaree Merino stud co-principal Tony Brooks, left, with Collinsville stud principal George Millington.
THE MULTI-MILLION dollar sale of one of Australia’s oldest Merino studs, East Bungaree, to the Collinsville stud has made the Millington family one of the nation’s largest suppliers of sheep genetics.
Collinsville Merino stud principal George Millington and East Bungaree co-principal East Bungaree co-principal Tony Brooks announced the sale on Monday.
“Yes, the sale price was in the millions (of dollars),” Mr Millington said.
Collinsville was already the largest registered flock in South Australia and Mr Millington said the East Bungaree purchase included 3000 stud ewes, and all the stud’s sires, ram and ewe lambs.
“According to annual returns Australia-wide, the combined 2000 rams sold by both studs already this year makes the combined entity the largest supplier or rams in Australia,” he said.
Mr Millington said the studs were not competitors and have had different client bases for more than 100 years. The two studs will remain separate with normal continuity of respective bloodlines and management while under new ownership.
“No need to fix something that’s not broken,” Mr Millington said.
He said Collinsville sees synergies with staff and management of sheep with the stud’s under one ownership.
“The flocks are run and mated independently, but will be run on the existing Collinsville stud property at Hallett (in South Australia).
“This opportunity will further enable us to be of scale and specialisation to meet the needs of our customers both large and small into the future,” Mr Millington said.
“Sheep from both studs will be the same.
“Nothing will change moving forward in terms of how we run both studs,” he said.
“We are pleased that Tony Brooks, from East Bungaree, will continue to be actively working with the East Bungaree stud and sheep as the key person involved in selection and breeding of the stud bloodlines.”
Mr Brooks said East Bungaree sheep will continue to be bred to meet the needs of customers in the mid-north of South Australia at Hallett.
“It is a great opportunity for East Bungaree to be owned by a private South Australian family,” he said.
Mr Brooks said he admired both East Bungaree and Collinsville’s heavy-cutting wools and large frame genetics with both studs’ having a strong reputation across the world for profitability and productivity.
“We have long term plans in agriculture with the vision to continue to grow both studs leading the way in genetics within the Merino and Poll Merino Stud industry,” Mr Millington said.
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