ON FARM SHEEP GENOMICS Corriedales seek superior taste traits “We’re also using purebred Corriedale progeny which will give us more information about genetic variation within the Corriedale breed.” Results so far Progeny were slaughtered in April 2018 and 2019 and, according to Wayne, early results appear to back breeders’ claims about eating quality. “The carcases were highly regarded by the processor,” Wayne said. “They hung up well, displayed adequate University of Adelaide honours student Hannah Gordon and Professor Wayne Pitchford (seated)muscle and none were over‑fat. collecting data with seedstock producers Legh Jenkin, Brenton Lush, Peter Blackwood and John Manchester. “In terms of intramuscular fat (IMF) and shear force of the 2018 lambs, IMF was Corriedale ram breeders areone step closer to being ableto use genomic tools to selectagainst the other breeds, or quantifyour eating quality claims.Flock to allow us to benchmark our siresa range that was highly acceptable toup to 10%, which was fantastic, and themajority of shear force results were in for superior eating quality traits. “At one of our group meetings we said a consumer.” The Corriedale Eating Quality Genomics ‘how can we do this?’ In six months we Meat samples taken from the progeny project, funded by MLA Donor had a progeny trial up and running.” processed in 2019 will be tested for IMF Company (MDC) and the University of Dataset building and shear force in the next few months. Adelaide, is the brainchild of a group The progeny‑testing trial is being led A lesson in collaboration of like‑minded Corriedale seedstock by Professor of Animal Breeding and Wayne said he was impressed by the producers from Tasmania, NSW, Victoria Genetics, Wayne Pitchford, from the cooperative culture of the Performance and SA. University of Adelaide. Corriedale Group. The breeders formed the Performance The aim of the trial is to test the “People are sharing semen between Corriedale Group in 2006 (see story progeny of 45 Corriedale rams and studs so there’s good genetic linkage, on page 29), with a shared focus 900 Corriedale ewes over three years, which makes their data more valuable, on selecting for performance using resulting in DNA testing of 900 lambs and there’s been tremendous support LAMBPLAN and working together to (genotyping) with their physical traits in supplying sires for the trial” he said. promote their breed. recorded (phenotyping). Producers leading the way The group currently has eight members “There have been minimal The group’s cooperative and proactive and works closely with Sheep Genetics numbers of Corriedales included attitude had also contributed to MDC’s staff to optimise their breeding programs.in industry‑supported reference support of the project, according to Caris Backing up ‘good eating’ claim population flocks to date, with the Jones, MLA Project Manager – Genetics. eating quality traits of only 218 progeny Group founding member Peter measured so far,” Wayne said. “This is one of the first projects we’ve Blackwood said the genomics project seen in which producers are directly grew out of a desire to quantify “We aim to have about 2,000 involved in creating their own reference anecdotal accounts of the superior records for a breed included in the population for eating quality traits,” eating quality of Corriedales. multi‑breed data set to be confident Caris said. ■ of the genomic predictions for that “As a group, we’ve always said breed, so clearly the Corriedales had Corriedale meat ate well and we’ve insufficient records for the genomic Caris Jones seen lambs do well in taste‑test tests to be of value. E: cjones@mla.com.au competitions,” Peter said. Peter Blackwood “In this project, we’re aiming to add data E: peter.claire@harlandrise.com.au “But, as Corriedales are one of the minorfrom an extra 900 Corriedales – it won’t Wayne Pitchford breeds, we weren’t going to get enough quite take us to 2,000 but it willget us E: wayne.pitchford@adelaide.edu.au research through the MLA Resource halfway towards it. 28