Selection decisions for redesigning Merinos

摘要

The year 1986 was the moment when the Australia Merino industry could have launched into breeding plain-bodied sheep with advanced fleeces. The scientific recipe was defined by CSIRO researchers, Moore, Jackson and colleagues. The way to do it, by selecting for high fibre density and length (the SRS~R breeding system), was devised and implemented by me from thereon. Most stud breeders scoffed at the idea because the sheep looked so different to their own. Geneticists working on a different system based on selection for high fleece weight and low fibre diameter (WOOLPLAN) went into denial.