MERINOSELECT and LAMBPLAN

Sheep Genetics is the national genetic information and evaluation service for the meat and wool sectors of the sheep industry delivered as LAMBPLAN and MERINOSELECT. The purpose of Sheep Genetics is to improve the quality, scope and utilisation of across-flock, and where appropriate, across breed genetic information for the Australian sheep industry.

  • Sheep Genetics provides a single national language in the form of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs)
  • ASBVs are available across flock and, where appropriate, across breeds
  • ASBVs are updated twice monthly for a range of commercially relevant traits that impact on all sectors of the sheep industry
  • ASBVs are designed to be used to compare the genetic potential of animals independent of the environment and location

 

Backed by quality assurance procedures and minimum accuracy standards, Sheep Genetics hosts a database of some 3 million animals, reflecting data from more than 1000 flocks around Australia. Together with the Australian sheep industry, MLA and AWI have facilitated genetic evaluation for prime lamb and wool producers.

The Sheep CRC contributes large amounts of data to LAMBPLAN and MERINOSELECT from the Sheep CRC’s Information Nucleus. This information includes:

  • Expanding the bloodlines represented
  • increasing the accuracy of individual ASBVs
  • Providing data for traits that are expensive or difficult to measure
  • Providing data for new traits for the development of new ASBVs
     

Choose from the tabs below for more detailed information.


Practical Wisdom Notes Products & Training Resources Reports, Articles and Presentations News Releases Websites

Practical Wisdom Notes / Fact Sheets

Practical Wisdom Note - Using ASBVs

ASBVs stand for Australian Sheep Breeding Values. They are the national language for benchmarking sheep based on their genetic merit and are produced by Sheep Genetics. ASBVs describe a sheep’s breeding value for a trait, e.g. fleece weight or body weight, and express the relative breeding value of sheep across different breeding flocks of that breed (or across breeds in the case of Terminal breeds). They are equivalent to estimated breeding values (EBVs) used in other livestock industries e.g. BREEDPLAN in the beef cattle industry.


Products & Training Resources

ASBV Case Studies

Several case studies are available on the use and benefits of ASBVs - download the individual case studies below.


Merino Sheep Breeding Trainer Guide

The Merino Sheep Breeding Trainer Guide has been developed by Sheep CRC and Meat & Livestock Australia to allow vocational and education trainers (primarily in the TAFE, Agricultural College and School systems) to deliver up to date knowledge and skills in the area of Merino breeding to their students. It is designed to be used in conjunction with three Power Point presentations, produced by the Sheep CRC on developing a breeding objective, selecting a stud and rams and selecting ewes.


Software - Selection Assist

Selection Assist enables producers or their advisors or classers to compare results from different breeding directions, so as to choose which is most applicable to their flock. The program predicts the likely outcome of selected breeding objectives. It also shows the impact of reproductive rates and where the progress can come from within a flock.


Visual Scores Guide

Visually assessed traits are included in the breeding objective of all stud and commercial sheep breeders, regardless of their target market or environment.


Reports, Articles and Presentations

Getting Started with Sheep Genetics

Sheep Genetics provides you with practical information on the genetic potential of your sheep. Sheep are ranked according to various production characteristics using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) across flock or Flock Breeding Values (FBVs) within flock. See Sheep Genetics brochures available for download below. To download other publications click here.


Publications - Genetics

Download the genetics publications below.


Sheep CRC 2010 Conference Papers - Genetics

This Conference combined world class science with its practical application.


Sheep CRC 2010 Conference Papers - Sheep and their management

This Conference combined world class science with its practical application.


Sheep CRC Genomics Breakfast Workshop - LambEx 2012

During LambEx 2012 the Sheep CRC hosted a genomics breakfast workshop - download the papers from the workshop below.


SNP Chip - revolutionising genetics

This article appears courtesy of Meat & Livestock Australia (www.mla.com.au)


Wool meets Meat - 2006 Conference Papers - Genetics

These proceedings are from the showcase conference of the Australian Sheep Industry CRC 'Wool meets Meat - tools for a modern sheep enterprise' conference held in Orange (NSW) during 2006.


News Releases

Industry backs CRC's track record of success
Some 35 organisations, covering the full length of the sheep supply chain, are supporting an extension of the highly successful Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC). The Sheep CRC is entering its final year ready to reach – and in many cases exceed – the objectives set by the Commonwealth in 2007 for its seven current research programs. “The current Sheep CRC is delivering on all of its... Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/industry-backs-crcs-track-record-of-success-18-06-2013.php
Superwhites Using Genomics to ‘Meat’ Future Expectations
A syndicate of leading White Suffolk breeders is adopting large-scale DNA testing to identify breeding animals carrying genes for tenderness and eating quality. By placing meat quality traits at the forefront of its genetic selection during ram breeding, the Superwhite group is positioning itself as a key supplier of rams which will help industry continue to meet consumer demands for tender and flavoursome lamb. “Meat... Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/superwhites-using-genomics-to-meat-future-expectations-08-05-2013.php
Sheep guide focuses on more money from less work
Sheep producers located in Australia’s cereal zones have a new guide filled with practical advice on smarter management practices and tips on breeding easy care, labour saving sheep. The publication called ‘Sheep – the simple guide to making more money with less work’, was first launched in Western Australia in 2011 and following on from its popularity in the west, it has now been adapted for use across the country. Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/sheep-guide-focuses-on-more-money-from-less-work-29-04-2013.php
ASBVs deliver more profitable Merinos at Tarcutta
The use of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) to drive genetic improvement has resulted in a bottom line boost of $2.42/head/year at the Tarcutta, NSW, Merino operation of Grant and Annette Burbidge. While visual selection plays an important role in selecting breeding stock, only rams with ASBVs are considered for use in the Burbidges’ nucleus ram-breeding flock to ensure that genetics are aligned to production... Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/asbvs-deliver-more-profitable-merinos-at-tarcutta-03-04-2013.php
Time running out for sheep producers to snap up DNA parentage tests
Time is running out for sheep breeders to participate in the Sheep CRC’s popular Genomics Pilot Project, with a limited number of DNA parentage tests remaining for sale before the program closes at the end of April. In a sign of the sheep industry’s growing confidence in genomic breeding tools, almost 17,000 tests – covering parentage genes for all breeds as well as the horn/poll genes in Merinos – have already been... Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/time-running-out-for-sheep-producers-to-snap-up-dna-parentage-tests-18-03-2013.php
Grazing management lowers worm burden at Kurrajong Park
A multi-pronged approach of grazing management, regular monitoring, resistance testing and strategic drenching, has been the key to managing worm burdens in the 20,000-head flock at Kurrajong Park, Coolah. Livestock manager at the Paspaley Rural property, Shane Curtis, believes that staying on top of worm populations has been the key to reducing the number of drench applications each year while also keeping the Merino flock... Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/grazing-management-lowers-worm-burden-at-kurrajong-park-18-02-2013.php
Trial results prove value of ASBVs in sheep selection
The jury is in and the verdict is clear: the use of objective breeding values in selection programs deliver more productive sheep. A review of results from more than 50 industry trials – including data from research sites, on-farm demonstration sites, producer groups, progeny tests and flock selection trials – has concluded that breeding values and associated technologies are delivering real economic value to the... Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/trial-results-prove-value-of-asbvs-in-sheep-selection-04-02-2013.php
ASBVs key to worm resistance and resilience at Petali
Selecting breeding stock with superior in-built resistance to worms is delivering improved growth rates and more resilient lambs for New England breeder Martin Oppenheimer. Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/asbvs-key-to-worm-resistance-and-resilience-at-petali-30-01-2013.php
DNA testing delivers poll flock fast
Effective use of DNA technology can reduce the chance of breeding horned Merino rams by 80% in just one year and completely remove the horn gene from the flock in just seven years, according to new data from the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC). Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/dna-testing-delivers-poll-flock-fast-07-01-2013.php
Sheep DNA tests a potential labour saver
Leading Western Australian Merino breeder Michael Campbell believes new DNA technology will dramatically improve the sheep industry’s productivity, offering potentially huge labour savings on farm. Click Here To Read Full Article » http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/information/news/sheep-dna-tests-a-potential-labour-saver-19-12-2012.php

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