Genetics of reproduction and lamb survival
| Project start date: | 23 May 2020 |
| Project end date: | 15 August 2025 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | Southern Australia |
| Site location: | Western VIC:Dunkeld & Cavendish / WA: Newdegate |
Summary
The aim of this project is to demonstrate the role that genetics can play in improving ewe reproduction and lamb survival and develop the knowledge, awareness, skills and attitudes of producers involved to enable them to more confidently select rams that will improve the reproductive performance and lamb survival of their flock.
Objectives
By the 30-June 2025 we will:
1. Across 5 host farms, across two drops, demonstrate the impact of selecting a team of sires for improved reproduction traits using ASBVs of 5% in F1 lamb survival and 5% more lambs weaned in subsequent reproductive performance. This will include demonstrating the role of wetting and drying, pregnancy scanning for multiples and the use of EID to capture and utilise information for ewe culling.
2. Develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills of ‘core’ producers as well as ‘observers’ to enable them to more confidently select rams based on their genes for reproduction (ASBVs).
3. Extend outcomes, learnings and experiences relating genetics of reproduction to the wider neXtgen producer network using the neXtgen Agri members site, the neXtgen Agri Facebook group and Zoom (Group Video conferencing) calls throughout the project resulting in:
• 100% of core producers and 50% of observer producers adopting or intending to adopt selection of rams using ASBV’s; and
• 100% of core producers and 80% of observer producers with increased knowledge, skills and confidence in relation to selection of rams using ASBV’s.
4. Host a field day at each host farm on at least two occasions during the project
5. Present findings to the wider community both from the public neXtgen website and at sheep industry forums and extend results through other grower group networks and consultants.
Progress
The ‘genetics of reproduction and lamb survival’ PDS project being undertaken by neXtgen Agri in Victoria and in Western Australia, aims to demonstrate the opportunity in using sheep genetics that are superior for reproductive performance and lamb survival.
Five core sites are underway across the project, with each site aiming to demonstrate the differences between their old ram sources and a new source that has been selected with the intention of improving reproductive rate and/or lamb survival.
One of the core sites has demonstrated a significant difference in lamb survival and growth rate as a result of changing their ram source. The remainder of the sites are expected to show differences in the reproductive rate of the daughters from the original sire teams over the coming years.
A podcast episode has been recorded on the Head Shepherd podcast to help producers better understand the new reproduction breeding values, including how to use them to make genetic gains to improve reproductive performance.
A three-session online training course was also held in 2022 to build awareness of strategies to make genetic gain for ewe reproduction and lamb survival. Recordings from this course are available online.
Strong producer engagement in the project demonstrates the importance of this topic to many sheep producers.
