There currently exists a large, and growing, supply of information that Australian woolgrowers can access to shape the future of their Merino enterprise.

Read the Beyond the Bale supplement - Breeding for profit which provides tools for breeders and woolgrowers to improve genetic gain and lift profitability across the industry.

Wide participation in genetic evaluation is critical to the ongoing genetic development of Australian Merino sheep - especially in ensuring ram breeders have access to, and make use of, the best available genetic knowledge.

Irrespective of the sheep breeding systems used, genetic evaluation tools provide a means to help woolgrowers select the sheep most likely suited to their long term strategy and profitability goals.

The benefits of genetic selection last forever and compound over time.

Sheep Genetics

Sheep Genetics developed by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is a national genetic information and evaluation service for the meat (LAMBPLAN) and wool (MERINOSELECT) sectors of the sheep industry.

Estimated breeding values are calculated for rams and ewes and known as Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).

ASBVs are used by ram breeders and commercial producers to compare the genetic potential of rams and ewes for a range of key commercial traits.

It allows the comparison of genetic merit of animals across environments and between years through the use of link sires.

For more information visit the Sheep Genetics website www.sheepgenetics.org.au.

Visual Sheep Scores

Waterproof pocket guide that provides sheep breeders and sheep classers with a quick and simple scoring system on which to visually assess 19 wool quality, conformation and breech traits.

Download the Visual Sheep Scores pocket guide in PDF format (4.98 Mb).

Merino Superior Sires

Independently operated progeny testing sites across Australia (approx 10) provide information on the estimated genetic merit of Merino sires.

For the latest copy of Merino Superior Sires and to find out more about sire evaluation go to www.merinosuperiorsires.com.au.

Each sire evaluation site also publishes a report based on the performance of sires entered at that specific site.  Site reports are also available from http://www.merinosuperiorsires.com.au/.

Bloodline Performance Package

The Merino Bloodline Package, funded by AWI in conjunction with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, helps woolgrowers to compare Merino sheep bloodlines based on the results from wether trials and on-farm comparisons run across Australia over the past 10 years.

Reports highlight wool production, wool quality and profitability of a range of bloodlines and allow woolgrowers to compare the relative strengths and weaknesses of each bloodline.

It is a tool for commercial Merino woolgrowers who want to identify the best ram source for their breeding objective. The analysis takes out all environmental factors between trials and years, leaving only the genetic variation between the bloodlines.

Further information including individual wether trial reports are available online at www.merinobloodlines.com.au.

Genetics Best Management Practice Module

The Gain From Genetics module in the Making More From Sheep package allows woolgrowers a 'one-stop-shop' for better understanding the available genetic knowledge and its application.

AWI and Meat and Livestock Australia have collaboratively developed a ‘Best Management Package’ (BMP) - Making More From Sheep - for Australian sheep and woolgrowers: a complete collection of current information and management tools available. 

The package forms a ‘one-stop-shop’, a do-it-yourself manual that bring together all relevant and practical information on running a wool, sheepmeat or combined enterprises.

The Gain from Genetics Module provides information and tools so that producers can:

• identify the key production traits that drive your sheep enterprise profit
• identify the genetic opportunities to improve key production traits
• select the best genetics for your business

The Making More From Sheep manual can be downloaded free from the website www.makingmorefromsheep.com.au or a hard copy is available for purchase by calling the AWI helpline on 1800 070 099.