Sheep breeding objectives and selection criteria of Wairarapa and
Tararua sheep farmers.
R.G. Gavigan and W.J. Parker
Wools of New Zealand, P.O. Box 311, Masterton, New Zealand.
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1997,
57: 33-36
The adoption of recommended sheep breeding practices, such as
the objective selection of flock replacements, by sheep farmers is
believed to be poor. This issue was investigated through a stratified
random survey of 75 wool growers in the Wairarapa and Tararua regions.
The majority (72%) of farmers emphasised breeding for both wool and
meat. Only 23% of the farmers quantified their sheep breeding
objectives in terms of wool production, lambing performance and/or
carcass weights. When selecting ewe hoggets, more importance was given
to subjective criteria such as structural soundness, freedom from black
wool fibres, wool character, face cover and visual body size, fleece
weight and wool fineness, than objective body weight and fleece weight
measurements. Criteria for ram selection were similar to those used for
ewe hoggets. Farm management consultants and Wools of New Zealand sheep
production officers were rarely consulted for advice on sheep selection.
Decisions on whom to purchase rams were most commonly made on the basis
of the breeder’s reputation and similarity of farm type. Overall, the
survey confirmed a lack of objectivity in sheep breeding decisions.
Further extension effort to promote the value and use of objective sheep
breeding information is required.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
sheep breeding; farmer survey; selection; ewe hoggets; rams
Last Updated 12-09-1998
