Australia-Sheep Genetics.
AUSTRALIA-LAMBPLAN reaches milestone with 1.5 million terminal sires
7/04/2009
Sheep Genetics has reached a major milestone with 1.5 million terminal sires now registered on LAMBPLAN – the world’s largest genetic evaluation service for sheep.
This milestone marks an increase of more than 25%, or 500,000 animals, since August 2004, with the total number of animals included in the LAMBPLAN database now standing at more than 4.3 million head with records.
Sheep Genetics – a joint program between Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) – currently has 700 subscribers; 530 LAMBPLAN and 170 MERINOSELECT representing a large proportion of the Australian seedstock industry.
Reaching the 1.5 million is a measure of the integrity of the system according to MLA Lamb and Sheepmeat R&D Manager, Dr Alex Ball.
"The impact of LAMBPLAN on the lamb production sector is evidenced by the strong correlation between the growth in exports of Australian lamb, the growth in average carcase weights and the growth in the adoption of LAMBPLAN," Dr Ball said.
Since the introduction of the ’Carcase Plus’ index breeders have been able to increase early growth and muscling resulting in higher average carcase weights with better muscling.
"In the last ten years the average Carcase Plus index value has increased from 124 to 172 reflecting the improvement in the key production traits; post weaning weight, fat and eye muscle depth," Dr Ball said.
In fact, carcase weights are increasing by 0.25kg per year with almost no change in fat and bone as a result of genetic changes facilitated by LAMBPLAN and in addition, significantly higher prime lamb productivity growth – about 5% per year – compared with the overall sheep population.
"Sheep Genetics has played a significant role in the improvement of animal performance in the Australian sheep industry. With the introduction of the new LAMB2020 index we see that the lamb industry is set for another lift in genetic performance."
Established in 1989, the uptake of LAMBPLAN by the Australian prime lamb industry has grown from 25 breeders in the first year to over 500 breeders in 2009 representing terminal breeds, including White Suffolk, Poll Dorset, Suffolk, Texel and maternal breeds, such as the Border Leicester and Coopworth, SAMM and Corriedales. LAMBPLAN is also utilised by breeders in New Zealand and North America and has a very important link with SIL of New Zealand for both Coopworth and Corriedale breeders.
LAMBPLAN has had a considerable impact on the sheep production sector. An estimated 45% of industry lambs and 55% of slaughter lambs are sired by LAMBPLAN rams (Barnett, R., Review of Adoption by the Australian Meat sheep Breeding Industry, 2006, MLA).
Co-investment by industry, state departments of primary industry and the Australian Government has leveraged $481 million in research and development for the industry over the last 25 years, adding $1.7 billion to its value and delivering a benefit-cost of 3.6:1.
More information: www.mla.com.au/sheepgeneticsinformation