Concentrate on breeder, ram buyers are told

Press, 15 February 1985, Page 23

Concentrate on breeder, ram buyers are told

Worth-while gains in higher production can be made in commercial sheep flocks with a ram selection policy that concentrates first on selection of a ram breeder, the M.A.F. has said. The first objective must be to identify a breeder who is making gains in the same direction as the commecial man wishes to go, said Mr David Ashby, a farm adviser for the M.A.F. in Rangiora.

A farmer must rely on local knowledge regarding ram breeders, said Mr Ashby, and the information printed by the M.A.F. in its annual Sheeplan booklet. The booklet, which is available from any M.A.F. office, will show:

• Which ram breeders are performance recording. • How long they have been recording.

• How large are their recorded flocks.

“Basically, the larger the recorded flock and the longer the breeder has been recording the better, said Mr Ashby.

The commercial farmer should also try to establish how efficiently the breeder is using the Sheeplan system in his own stud flock. This can now be done using the Sheeplan efficiency rating which gives an objective measurement of how the breeder is using his records.

The buyer must ask for a breeder’s efficiency rating. The efficiency rating assumes a potential of 100 per cent if all high index rams were selected for use in the stud flock. However undesirable traits do occur, such as “black spots” and a realistic objective for a breeder is ram efficiency selection of 80 to 85 per cent. Mr Ashby said that once a farmer has selected a breeder, the actual selection of rams should be done by concentrating on high index numbers followed by wool and appearance. "Type matters very little, but if you feel indifferent about selecting rams on index, select them first on, say, wool type and then take

out any high negative index rams.

“Also examine the leanness rating. “When buying in twotooth rams, put them over your best ewes so as to ensure a quick response to genetic gain. “The key to ram selection is the selection of the breeder.

“If the breeder is using his records effectively then you will achieve a genetic gain parallel to him.

“Remember that Sheeplan compares animals within one farm and that it is useless comparing animals between farms using Sheeplan indexes. “Therefore it is imperative that the right breeder is selected.”

The Rangiora M.A.F. has estimated that realistic gains can be made in a commercial flock of one per cent extra lambing each year, another 20 grams of wool per head, and a reduction in fat on lambs of 0.5 mm GR each year by a comprehensive ram selection policy.