Dr Jim Watts and the SRS® Legacy: A Revolution in Wool Breeding
Few people leave behind a legacy that reshapes an entire industry. Dr Jim Watts was one of them. His vision, courage, and scientific brilliance transformed Merino breeding, creating a ripple effect that continues to shape the wool industry today – from animal welfare to fibre quality, from sustainability to global reputation.
At East Loddon, we see his legacy not just in the wool our sheep grow, but in the very fabric of the industry we are proud to be part of.
A Scientist Who Changed the Game
Born in 1949, Dr Watts devoted his life to understanding wool biology. With a veterinary degree, a master’s, and a PhD from the University of Sydney, he became one of the world’s foremost wool scientists. His breakthrough came in 1988, when he discovered that the fibre bundle, not the fleece staple, is the key structural unit of wool.
This revelation laid the foundation for the Soft Rolling Skin (SRS®) breeding system. By focusing on low fibre diameter, high follicle density, and greater fibre length, Dr Watts created a new way of breeding Merinos that delivered softer, stronger, and more productive wool – while also producing plain-bodied sheep resistant to flystrike.
Breeding for Welfare and Performance
At a time when the industry was struggling with the painful practice of mulesing, Dr Watts’s approach offered a humane alternative. The SRS® system bred sheep that were naturally resistant to flystrike, healthier, and easier to manage.
This was more than science, it was compassion in action. For woolgrowers, it meant higher fleece weights, finer fibres, and lambs with better survival rates. For animals, it meant lives free from unnecessary intervention. For the industry, it meant progress without compromise.
A Legacy of Education and Influence
Dr Watts was not only a researcher but also a passionate educator. Between 1995 and 2001, he and his team delivered more than 80 workshops to over 3,000 growers across Australia. His methods spread rapidly, adopted by Merino studs, alpaca breeders, and mohair producers around the world.
The rollout of SRS® was bold and sometimes controversial, but always underpinned by integrity. Dr Watts believed in science with purpose: connecting research to real-world outcomes that farmers, animals, and markets could all benefit from.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
In 2014, Dr Watts was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his outstanding contribution to the wool industry.
Following his passing in 2019, the existing SRS® stud breeders across Australia came together to form the not-for-profit SRS Genetics entity. This organisation holds all of Dr Watts’s intellectual property as well as the SRS® trademark, supported by an integrity system that ensures anything carrying the SRS® name meets strict standards for both stud and commercial breeders. As a formal group, SRS Genetics continues Jim’s work, breeding productive, ethical, and modern Merinos.
Today, from Australia to Europe and South America, breeders working with Merino, alpaca, and Angora genetics continue to build on his foundations.
For East Loddon, the SRS® story is personal. It represents the merging of science and stewardship; a belief that wool can be both a premium fibre and an ethical one. It’s a reminder that progress doesn’t come from tradition alone, but from questioning, innovating, and caring deeply about both animals and land.
As we continue our own journey, we honour Dr Watts’s legacy by holding ourselves to the same standards: grounded in science, committed to welfare, and always striving for excellence in every fleece we produce.
Dr Jim Watts changed the face of wool. His legacy challenges all of us (growers, brands, and consumers) to imagine a future where performance and ethics go hand in hand. At East Loddon, that’s a future we’re proud to help create.