DNA testing kicking goals

A NSW sheep breeder has completely overhauled the structure of his breeding program to exploit the benefits available through selecting for specific traits.

DNA testing not only identifies the breeding potential of individual rams, the benefits of increased certainty in predicting performance of future progeny multiplies dramatically when a preferred genetic profile is applied to teams of rams, according to Riverina studmaster Murray Long.

Mr Long, of Pendarra White Suffolks stud at Ardlethan, NSW, has drastically scaled back his ewes from 800 to 450, to allow him to focus on testing and breeding for meat eating quality.

People used to worry about how to fit genomics into their flock management, but its actually a question of building your management around the benefits DNA testing offers, Mr Long said.

Genomics is not only a way of getting a better product for my commercial producers and ultimately consumers, but I can use genomics to make my management a lot easier and a lot more streamlined and thats really exciting.

In applying that knowledge Mr Long said the key was to set clear breeding objectives and select stock according to a consistent genetic profile.

The same opportunity applies for his clients when they select rams using objective information, such as DNA-based breeding values and Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).

By selecting a team of rams based on their collective average for specific traits, the average outcome in the progeny will be highly predictable for those traits, Mr Long said.

And by increasing the certainty of predicting the average trait outcomes in progeny, ram buyers can have greater confidence in achieving increased genetic gain for their flock with respect to the traits of interest.

Mr Long plans to DNA test 25-30 per cent of his ram lambs each year using the new Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC) 14 k SNP test, in order to obtain more information on hard to measure traits and to add accuracy to growth and carcase traits that can be measured later in life.

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DNA testing kicking goals