Industry bodies often get their fair share of criticism for use of levys entrusted in them, but Beef and Lamb NZ's involvement with the Central Progeny scheme is an excellent investment for the sheep farmer.
A national benchmark to evaluate genetic worth of sheep genes in NZ is a wonderful tool, and I can't understand why a 100% of ram breeders would not be involved.
In my opinion being involved in such a scheme would have much greater value than showing sheep at the local show.
As one well known Southland Romney Breeder told me and a group of Lincoln students that visited his operation," its all about genes today, not breeds".
Do you support this Central Progeny scheme, and do you insist your ram breeder does? And if not why not?
Beef + Lamb New Zealand wants to hear from ram breeders interested in supplying terminal sire and dual purpose rams to the 2011 Central Progeny Test. General Manager – Farm, Richard Wakelin says Beef + Lamb New Zealand invests farmer levies in the Central Progeny Test as an ongoing service to New Zealand’s sheep industry. “The Central Progeny Test helps ram buyers identify sources of rams that are superior for traits important to the buyer, by creating across flock and breed connections.
“It also aims to increase industry awareness of novel traits, and contribute to SIL eBVs for them, and provide a genetic resource that facilitates the discovery and evaluation of new technologies that could benefit sheep farming.” Having a ram evaluated in the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test will enable the breeding group and ram buyers to better assess the merit of the ram, and other rams in the group, for the recorded traits.
“The ram’s genetic merit will be evaluated by comparing the performance of their progeny with those of other rams used at three sites over nine years through the use of link sires.” Mr Wakelin says the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test creates genetic connections between breeding groups that are not already well connected in privately owned flocks, broadening the comparisons possible to new breeding groups.
“Strong and recent connections, such as those created in the Central Progeny Test, are vital if flocks are to be included in SIL’s Advanced Central Evaluation (SIL‑ACE) and accessed by SIL’s new RamFinder tool. These two tools direct ram buyers to ram breeding flocks that are improving recorded traits in which the buyer is interested.” Beef + Lamb New Zealand covers the cost of testing rams chosen, but as expressions of interest are expected to exceed the funds available, additional rams may be included with the cost met by the ram supplier.
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