Peter Heinrich is a multi-generational farmer at “Ella Matta” north of Bute on the upper Yorke Peninsula. He (in 1979) along with the University of NSW, and a few other stud breeders, started experimenting with a white-faced Suffolk. This was later recognised when the Australian White Suffolk Association was established, where Ella Matta was registered as flock number 1, the first registered White Suffolk stud in the world.
Peter (pictured with his son Andrew): "There was always discount on the black points of the Suffolk, but the same sheep were better than the Dorset especially in drier years. So in 1979, I purchased a Poll Dorset ram at the Dorset Fair from the “Kentish Downs” stud of Jim Martin and put him with my Suffolk ewes of Burwood blood.
"After correspondence with Professor Ewan Roberts and Jeff Eppleston of the University of NSW, who had a government grant to develop an improved meat sheep, I made contact with Noel Corliss at the Hay Field Research Station and in August 1983 purchased two rams from their program.
From here the stud has grown over the years. In 1999 it was moved to Kangaroo Island and taken over by Peter’s son Andrew, wife Tracie, and later, grandson Jamie. It has continued its innovative approach to ram breeding, but is now doing this though DNA testing, Embryo Transfers and extensive animal performance recording.
