ABOUT 120 people turned out to the Elders Balmoral sire evaluation field day today at Wando to review the results.
Considered Australia’s biggest sire evaluation, the day showcased the progeny of 37 sires from Victoria, SA, WA and NSW.
There was comprehensive pedigree trial results presented in traditional methods, as well as DNA methods, which a Q&A forum and which worked best.
Sire Evaluation Trial chairman Tom Silcock (pictured with Elders’ Andrew Howells, the group’s secretary, and committee member Debbie Milne) said the aim of the day was to focus on getting genetic gains quicker.
“The direction we are going as an industry, seen through the sire evaluation trial, in all sheep breeding is a greater emphasis on profitable traits with weaning weight, body weight and fertility, while we are still very much focussed on wool quality and fleece weight,” he said.
State-of-the-art technology was on display at the day, such as Sapien Technology’s ‘Walk Over Weighing’ system, which has provided real time management of stock health, with the use of weigh bridges and electronic ear tags.
Guest speaker Andrew Michael also discussed the speed of genetic gain with juvenile in-vitro embryo transfers, which use DNA to identify superior breeding stock at merely weeks of age.
• More to come
