Choosing traits when selecting rams
10 September 2020
When selecting the right ram to meet breeding goals, it’s important for producers to consider what opportunities and challenges are being faced on-farm. Producers can then utilise different traits that will influence the production system when selecting rams.
To assist producers in understanding how to select animals using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), MLA has developed a suite of brand new videos that explain some of the most popular sheep traits.
The different ASBVs available are important to understand as they can help improve specific areas of a flock including their health and welfare, reproduction success, eating quality, weight and wool.
ASBVs focus on the genetic merit of the animal, removing the impacts of the environment in which the animal was raised. Combining the use of ASBVs and visual appraisal, producers can ensure the ram purchased will deliver the right genetics for many generations to come.
The table below highlights some of the on-farm challenges, types of breeding goals and ASBV selection traits covered by the videos on MLA’s genetics hub, and steps through the benefits of introducing these into a flock to meet a breeding goals.
|
The on-farm business challenges or opportunities |
The type of breeding goals |
Available EBV selection traits |
Link to video |
|
Animal health and welfare traits - traits can help with social and environmental challenges with livestock production |
|||
| High risk worm burden | Improved worm resistance |
|
View the video |
| Flystrike in the breech region of sheep |
Reduce risk of fly strike |
|
|
| Moving to a non-mulesed flock | Reduce wrinkle around the breech |
|
|
| Moving to a polled flock | Reduce wrinkle around the breech |
|
|
| Dystocia | Reduce incidence of dystocia |
|
|
|
Reproduction traits - traits can help improve the reproductive performance of yearling and adult ewes |
|||
| Low weaning percentage | Improve weaning percentage in adult ewes |
|
View the video |
| Low scanning percentage | Improved scanning percentage |
|
|
| Join yearling ewes | Improve scanning percentage and weaning percentage in yearling ewes |
|
|
|
Carcase and eating quality traits - traits that are important for producing quality lamb to meet market specifications |
|||
|
Lambs are too lean at slaughter |
Increase fat cover |
|
View the video |
|
Meeting carcase compliance |
Improve muscling |
|
|
|
Meeting consumer expectations |
Improving eating quality |
|
|
|
Weight traits - traits used in sheep production to improve growth or control birthweight and mature ewe size |
|||
|
Turning lambs off earlier |
Improve weight for age |
|
View the video |
|
Ewes are too big |
Balance growth with mature ewe size |
|
|
|
Lambs are too big at birth |
Balance birth weight |
|
|
|
Visual/wool traits - traits to help improve the quantity and quality of wool produced |
|||
|
Increase wool cut |
Improved fleece weight |
|
View the video |
|
Manage fibre diameter |
Maintain fibre diameter |
|
|
|
Maximising price premiums for wool clip |
Increase staple strength |
|
|
|
Maximising price premiums for wool clip |
Improve wool quality |
|
|
|
Move to six-month shearing |
Increase staple length |
|
|
|
Managing visual wool quality |
Improve colour and crimp |
|
View the video |
|
Managing visual wool quality |
Reduce incidence weathering and fleece rot |
|
|
