The majority of Merino breeding flocks have partial (sire only) or o record of pedigree. This is due in part to the labour intensive nature of collecting maternal pedigree (mothering-up) and the management of large numbers of individual records.
Pedigree MatchMaker offers an effective alternative method of collecting dam pedigree and when added to sire pedigree, adds substantially to the value of the information.
Benefits:
The Pedigree MatchMaker software assists ram breeders to identify lamb progeny that a ewe has matched and reared, using no labour input. Ewes and their lambs are trained to move through a raceway in the paddock to an attractant eg. water, lockblocks, feed. They are individually identified using electronic tags and lambs are matched to the ewes they follow. Using this method the dam pedigree has been determined to be approximately 95% accurate.
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On 21st October 2009 the Sheep CRC's Pedigree MatchMaker product won the ABC New Inventors Award.
To watch the program please click here.
Publication source: State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
© State of Queensland (Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation) 2011.
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