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This is the reason third-generation Merino producers Chris and Janette Dixon are still growing wool, and that's not going to change.
Mr Dixon, Lavendo Pastoral Company, Quandialla, has been running Merinos for as long as he can remember.
His grandfather and father were Merino growers, and Mr and Mrs Dixon have been running their own business since 2016.
Today the Dixon family runs 1800 Merino ewes, along with a cropping enterprise, growing wheat, barley and canola.
The decision to carry on the tradition of running Merinos was an easy one.
"I much prefer livestock to tractors," he said.
"Merinos are now considered a dual-purpose sheep, and that's what we are aiming at."
The Dixon family sources its rams from Richmond Merino stud, also at Quandialla.
Mr Dixon said easy care was one of the main traits that kept them returning to Richmond.
"We started with Trevor (Ryan, stud owner) in 2002 when he first started selling rams," he said. "Even in the really wet years in the past two years, we didn't have any coloured wool.
"For the past 10 years we haven't backlined our core breeding ewes. We still do our weaners. We still can get a bit of breach strike but no body strike."
Richmond blood has brought plenty of benefits to the Dixon family's flock.
"They have beautiful wool, easy care, and no flies," he said.
"We are prepared to cease mulesing pretty much whenever they say 'that's it'."
A Merino with a bit more weight on it is a big focus.
"We are looking for a meatier ewe, and meatier wethers," he said. "We also want good mums, and good, plain bodies."
About 1400 of the ewes are joined to Merino rams from Australian Day for seven weeks, while the remainder are joined to Border Leicester rams.
"We chose the Border Leicester because they are a bit better shearing," he said.
"We might go back to using Poll Dorsets for a couple of years."
Scanning has been taking place at Lavendo for a number of years now, and Mr Dixon said generally at least half of the ewes had multiple lambs.
Ewes are drafted into mobs depending on the number of lambs they are carrying.
"They are becoming better mums since we started scanning. We get rid of the dries, but I feel like as mums they are getting better and better," he said.
Lambs are weaned at about 12 weeks. The best of the hogget ewes are classed and kept as breeders, with the help of Mr Ryan.
"He keeps a pretty good eye on us," he said. "We are very happy with them."
The first-cross ewe lambs are usually sold to restockers.
Wethers are fattened on pastures and sold over the hook through Forbes Livestock at 11 to 12 months old, bringing an average 25-kilogram carcase.
Shearing takes place once a year in March, with the flock's average micron measuring about 18 and about 120mm in length.
"We could probably get away with shearing our hoggets twice a year, but I don't know whether it is worth it," he said. "The shearing prices are up there. We have a pretty good shearing crew and it is beautiful wool."
With Merinos firmly in the family's future, Mr Dixon is feeling confident with the progress of his flock.
"We know where we are going."
