Bindawarra ram heads fine wool sire evaluation

摘要

A ram from Murray Toland's Bindawarra stud has produced the most outstanding genetic performance in the latest completed World's Finest Ram Project sire evaluation. The ram, Bindawarra WO90, has Estimated Progeny Values (EPVs) strongly positive forfleece weight and negative for fibre diameter, while at the same time having progeny with a high percentage of tops and a low percentage of culls. Other rams to perform well (table 1) came from the Havilah North and Hazeldean Merino studs, the latter being a link sire. Sire evaluation schemes compare the genetic merit of Merino rams by assessing their offspring side by side after they have been reared under identical pasture and environmental conditions. According to the World Finest Ram Project's geneticist, Linda Hygate, ram buyers need good information on which to base purchasing decisions. "Individual rams can have outstanding attributes, but these are of little value to the wool industry if they are not passed on to their offspring. The real valueof a ram can only be assessed by comparing its progeny against those of other rams in the same environment," Hygate says.