Genetic Evaluation
AWI provides genetic evaluation services to assist woolgrowers select sheep, including practical selection tools and benchmarking programs. Find out how to utilise these services.
AWI supports services to assist woolgrowers select sheep and optimise genetic gain using a range of genetic evaluation tools.
There are five steps to follow in the hunt for cost effective genetic gain.
- Step 1: Establish / review your flock breeding objective for the next 10 years. Keep it brief.
- Step 2: Benchmark your performance in all your key traits.
- Step 3: Monitor and evaluate your performance against the goals
- Step 4: Is your gain cost effective
- Step 5: Talk with your ram breeder / advisor about your goals, back to step 1
Genetic Evaluation Tools
The following genetic evaluation tools provide woolgrowers with comprehensive information to benchmark your progress in association with your classer / advisor / ram seller.
Merino Superior Sires
The Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association runs Merino Sire Evaluation by comparing the progeny of 12 to 15 sires at a specific site over 2 years. The association produces annual reports that are published on the Merino Superior Sires website. There are 10 sites across Australia.
The sites are run by local committees who make a considerable contribution through in kind labour. Additional running costs are covered by sire entrant fees which range from $3,000 to $5,000 per sire between the sites. Collectively, the sites are overseen by the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA) Executive Committee made up of site representatives, AWI, MLA, and the Executive Officer. AWI funds the operations of the Executive.
Individual sires are joined through artificial insemination to 50 to 60 ewes. The ewes are randomly drawn from a consistent, well classed line of ewes to avoid bias. Link sires allow sires to be compared between years and between sites. Results are reported annually at a site field day and a Site Report on all assessments, including sire means and Flock Breeding Values, is produced and placed on the Merino Superior Sires website.
AMSEA produces an annual Merino Superior Sires publication which includes all AMSEA data combined with on-farm (ram breeder) data relating to the relevant sires.
Further Industry Communications
- Find out more about sire evaluation on the Merino Superior Sires website.
- Merino Sire Evaluation Site reports compare the performance of sire.
- Read our Beyond the Bale article from Dec 2021 about Merino Sire Evaluation here.
MERINOSELECT
MERINOSELECT is the national genetic information and benchmarking service for the Merino industry. The service provides a single national language in the form of "across flock" Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).
Ram breeders and commercial woolgrowers can use these breeding values to compare the genetic potential of rams and ewes for a range of commercial traits, independent of the environment and location.
MERINOSELECT is managed by Sheep Genetics, as part of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), and is based in Armidale NSW.
Further Industry Communications
- Visit the Sheep Genetics website for more information about MERINOSELECT, including the latest ASBVs
- Visit the MERINOSELECT animal websearch
- MERINOSELECT Service Providers can help you to collect measurements and manage your data on a fee-for-service basis
- Check out the resources available at the Sheep Genetics Resources page.
- Annual genetic trends of key MERINOSELECT ASBVs and record numbers for the three breech traits
DOHNE MERINO
DOHNE MERINO is the national genetic information and benchmarking service for the Dohne Merino breed. The database uses the same structure as MERINOSELECT and is managed by Sheep Genetics.
A Dohne ASBV describes the expected performance of a Dohne' s progeny for a trait relative to the performance of all Registered Australian Dohne ram breeding flocks.
Sheep Genetics reports two standard indices for the DOHNE MERINO analysis; the Dohne Base index and the Dohne Plus index. Both indices were developed in conjunction with the Australian Dohne Breeders Association (ADBA), as well as using feedback from Dohne breeders to identify economic breeding objectives in commercial Dohne flocks.
Further Industry Communications
- Visit the Sheep Genetics website for more information about DOHNE
- DOHNE Service Providers can help you to collect measurements and manage your data on a fee-for-service basis
- Visit the DOHNE animal websearch
- Check out the resources available at Sheep Genetics Resources page.
Merino Bloodline Performance (Wether Trials)
Merino Bloodline Performance allows woolgrowers to compare Merino bloodlines based on the results of wether and ewe trials, run across Australia.
Merino Bloodline Performance highlights the diversity in wool production, wool quality and profitability for a wide range of bloodlines and allows woolgrowers to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each bloodline.
The 2018 results demonstrate significant variation in production between the 73 bloodlines, with a range of 3.6 µm in fibre diameter, 28% in clean fleece and 13% in liveweight. These production differences translate into very significant differences in bloodline profitability.
Further Industry Communications
View the latest Merino Bloodline Performance Results by navigating to the website, then scrolling down to view the latest Analysis Reports.
View other wether and ewe trail reports or you can download copies:
DNA Flock Profile
What are the current trends in genetic evaluation and what might the industry be doing a generation from now? A Flock Profile provides commercial Merino producers with a genetic benchmark of how their flock compares to industry. You can use Flock Profile results to track genetic progress and help inform ram purchasing decisions.
Further Industry Communications
Visual Classing
Visually assessed traits are included in the breeding objective of all stud and commercial sheep breeders, regardless of their target market or environment. It is quick, efficient, and cost effective for a large number of visible traits and is essential to improve the quality of a woolgrower’s flock, manage surplus sheep and impact the enterprises overall profitability. AWI has created tools that aid producers in selecting animals that suit their breeding objectives.
- Visual Sheep Scores Producer Version 4 - 2024 PDF
- Stockmanship and Merino Visual Classing Workshops
- An introduction to Merino visual classing PDF
- Sheep Selection Tools
Further Industry Communications
Merino and Dohne Genetic Trends
The overall breed genetic trait trends for MERINOSELECT and DOHNE show gains in key economic traits. The overall Merino breed gains are an aggregate of the Superfine, Fine, Medium wool Australian types and Merinos from New Zealand. Each type has some similar but also different trait trends compared to other types and the breed.
Merino and Dohne Genetic Trends
Further Industry Communications
