Australia-Tail Docking sheep.

AUSTRALIS MUSELING.

Genetic push for bare breech

With the release of prototype estimated breeding values (EBVs) for breech wrinkle and breech cover, the Australian sheep research industry is now turning theory into reality. The new EBVs came from Merino sires used in the Sheep CRC’s Information Nucleus flock breeding program. Highly intensive selection for the breech traits can produce sheep that have flystrike resistance comparable to mulesed sheep. As more data becomes available, the EBVs will undergo further refinement before being made available to the sheep industry via the Sheep Genetics Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV).