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The present drought offers an unexpected opportunity to improve the genetics and future resilience of the Australian sheep flock.
According to researchers at the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre (Sheep CRC), as farmers select animals to cull they should carefully consider identifying their most productive animals.
Sheep CRC CEO, Professor James Rowe, explained the reasoning. “The secret lies in the fact that one sheep is much more productive than another. The top 25% of animals in any flock will return three times more than the bottom 25%. If we can select only the most productive to breed from, we can in future run fewer, more profitable sheep with a reduced environmental impact,” he said.
“Generally, producers choose to cull a particular class of sheep. It may be all their older ewes, or younger animals. Our research shows that more selective culling immediately improves the bottom line,” said Professor Rowe.
Producers need to select productive animals by measuring:
- fibre diameter
- fleece weight
- body weight.
Fibre diameter is primary determinant and requires a specialist measurement costing $1.10 and $1.80. While this is difficult to expect in the current conditions, the research shows this will more than pay for itself in the first year of production, and subsequently the benefits multiply.
“Even if producers are unable to undertake this process now, we recommend they prepare themselves to make decisions based on this information in future years,” said Professor Rowe.
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