DNA mapping flock programme to help sheep producers
28 Jul '05
3 min read
Sheep producers were given the chance to see into the future with the progeny of a major research program put on public display for the first time.
And it is hoped that the DNA fine mapping flock, the biggest of its type in the world, will soon help those producers to find innovative ways to solve problems in their sheep as diverse as parasite control, fertility, wool quality and muscle levels.
The flock, being run on Australian Wool Innovation Limited's (AWI) research property, the Falkiner Memorial Field Station at Deniliquin, in southern NSW, underpins much of the research work going on in the SheepGenomics program.
More than 130 producers at a forum on the field station today heard about the potential gains from SheepGenomics, a $30 million joint initiative between AWI and Meat and Livestock Australia that involves ten leading research organisations from across the nation and New Zealand.
SheepGenomics aims to assist sheep producers to use advanced genetics and genomics to fine tune their flocks for specific needs.
The science of genomics promises to take sheep breeding to the next level by delivering a better understanding of which genes deliver which physical attributes, and allows the industry to improve productivity and better meet consumer demands.
Genomics will allow producers to select at birth useful traits that are traditionally difficult to measure or that may not express themselves until later in life, helping them to be able to make better breeding decisions at an earlier age.
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