Australian Sheep Producers Turn to DNA for Resilient, Productive Herds
(MENAFN) Faced with increasing climate pressures, a growing number of Australian sheep producers are leveraging genetics to cultivate more resilient, productive, and profitable flocks, according to media reports released on Monday.
According to a news outlet, with approximately 200,000 animals added to the Sheep Genetics database each year, the utilization of DNA data in breeding practices is expected to rise.
The outlet cited statistics from Meat and Livestock Australia indicating a significant increase in the adoption of genetic data for ram selection. In 2016, only 30 percent of producers employed this information, whereas by 2024, this figure had nearly doubled to 56 percent.
"It's no longer sheep just running around in the back paddock hoping for the best," South Australian producer Alison Henderson, who is using genetics to breed sheep in the current dry conditions, stated.
The news report detailed how Henderson navigates challenging dry conditions by combining genetic and visual evaluations to choose sheep with strong breeding values in characteristics such as growth, wool quality, and eating quality, with the aim of enhancing productivity and climate resilience.
Through complementary mating, she strategically pairs rams and ewes with similar strengths to amplify key traits in their offspring. "It's really exciting to see what the progeny comes out because often you are producing sheep that are excellent across a range of traits," the news outlet quoted Henderson as saying.
Mark Ferguson, chief executive of neXtgen Agri, explained to the outlet that contemporary genetics not only boosts productivity but also contributes to cost reduction by enabling the selection of traits like favorable fat and muscle composition. This allows sheep to better sustain their weight during droughts and reduces the need for supplementary feeding, thereby making them more efficient and resilient.
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