GENETICS eding values? ou’re missing as eating quality, lean “More and more meat yield, reproductive producers are rate, growth and fibre characteristics. seeing that sires Rob said 70–75% of with better breeding terminal meat breed sires values produce are offered for sale with better progeny, data, and around 60% of maternal meat breed sires and that means a and 35–40% of Merino sires better‑performing are sold with relevant data. herd or flock.” “Quite a bit of artificial insemination (AI) is being But, there is still room for used in Merinos by improvement. enterprises large enough “Just because sires are to breed their own rams,” increasingly sold with he said. breeding values doesn’t “Producers are increasingly mean commercial using semen from breeders producers are necessarily in the MERINOSELECT using that information. And program, so the impact at those who use breeding a flock level means about values can always strive 50% of rams used across to find sires with better industry have some genetic breeding values,” Rob said. information available.” “The genetic improvement Commercial uptake journey doesn’t end – it’s a While the adoption of never‑ending good story. breeding values data in the “The secret is to keep More sires backed a general perception that north has been challenging, moving forward. Standing Many seedstock producers genetics data doesn’t have its uptake by commercial as much relevance in the livestock producers is still means you’re actually have embraced genetic data. slipping behind.” ■ environmental conditions increasing, particularly in Rob said the southern beef of the north,” said Rob. the southern cattle and See over for Rob’s top industry has pioneered prime lamb industries. five tips on finding the the adoption of genetic “That perception is wrong. information in Australia, “Many commercial right genetics for your “DNA tools are helping breeding objectives. with more than 70% of overcome the recording producers of temperate southern bulls offered for challenge. Genetics data cattle, prime lamb and sale backed by breeding Merino breeds have got on Dr Rob Banks relating to fertility in the Director, values data. north is now becoming board with breeding values over the last 10–20 years,” Animal Genetics and In the north, the numbers available, and it reveals Breeding Unit aren’t so impressive, with massive genetic ranges Rob said. E: rbanks@une.edu.au around 15% of sale bulls in lifetime weaning “They’ve seen the value accompanied by breeding rate and profitability in in not just relying on Visit MLA’s new values data. northern breeds.” visually assessing potential genetics hub, a “This probably reflects the Australian Sheep Breeding sires; they’ve also leaned one‑stop‑shop full of challenges of collecting Values have transformed on breeding values to resources, case accurate pedigree and the wool and sheepmeat allow them to see into studies and tutorial date of birth in extensive industries. They have the animal’s genetic videos to get started northern breeding given producers the power makeup and make more with genetics: enterprises, coupled with to influence traits such informed decisions. genetics.mla.com.au 3