Boy with 'photographic memory' helps preserve heritage sheep breed

Eleven-year-old Mitch Dickens possesses a remarkable knack for numbers and a passion for Hampshire Down sheep, playing a key role in preserving heritage breeds in Australia. He describes the sheep as hardy, easy to care for, and attractive, noting his father's appreciation that they don't shed wool on fences.

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We like them because they're hardy and they're easy to look after. They're pretty, and Dad likes that they don't leave wool on the fences.

Mitch and his family established the Mimjack Hampshire Down stud in Yeoval, Central West NSW, when he was eight. It is one of only six such studs in the state. His mother, Amy Dickens, highlighted his "photographic memory" for numbers, evident from a young age when he could identify cattle by their lineage. This talent led the family to support his involvement in the sheep stud.

Heritage sheep breeds, which formed the basis of Australia's national flock when introduced from the UK in the 1800s and early 1900s, are at risk of disappearing. Approximately 50 percent of sheep in Australia today carry the genetics of these 10 heritage breeds. Losing them could mean losing crucial productive traits like robust health and foraging abilities, according to Heritage Sheep Australia.

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With our cattle stud, from such an early age … he'd be sitting up on the side of the fence of the round yard, yelling out which ET calf belonged to which Angus re-sit dam, and he'd know them. We'd second-guess whether he's accurate, but the accuracy rate was ridiculous. He's just got this photographic memory with understanding and remembering numbers ... so we thought, blimey, he's obviously got a bit of a knack for it so let's go with that.

Mitch understands the importance of maintaining breed diversity. He actively seeks to diversify his flock by acquiring rams from various stud lines, aiming to incorporate desirable qualities and new genetic material. His goal is to breed sheep with specific traits, such as larger frames for rams and smaller frames for ewes, to achieve a balanced medium size.

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[Hampshire Downs] were developed in England … primarily as a meat sheep and excellent terminal sire.

Mrs. Dickens emphasized the significance of keeping heritage breeds alive, noting the benefits of maintaining diversity across all species and utilizing crossbreeding. Mitch's involvement ensures that these valuable genetic lines continue to contribute to Australia's agricultural landscape.

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It's great to maintain diversity of breeds across all species, whether we're talking sheep or cattle, and utilise the benefits of crossbreeding.