Sheep Genetics is the genetic evaluation service for the Australian sheep and goat industries. The purpose of Sheep Genetics is to assist sheep and goat breeders and commercial producers to increase the rate of genetic gain across a broad range of traits in their flocks and herds. There are hundreds of Sheep Genetics members spanning across a wide range of environments in Australia, New Zealand, and further afield overseas.
Sheep Genetics provides three main analyses: MERINOSELECT, LAMBPLAN, and KIDPLAN.
MERINOSELECT:
- Merinos, including poll and horn and New Zealand Merinos
LAMBPLAN:
- Sires used to create a lamb meat product, example breeds include White Suffolks, Poll Dorsets and Dorpers.
- Animals with a reproductive focus, often crossed with terminal sires. Example breeds include Border Leicesters, Corriedales and Coopworths.
Sheep Genetics has grown significantly since its establishment to become an essential service to the Australian sheep industry, delivering a world-class genetic evaluation to increase industry productivity and profitability. This is a result of a significant increase in the use of ASBVs by sheep producers in their selection decisions – with recent surveys indicating 57% of commercial sheep producers are using ASBVs in 2023 (Genetics Insight Final Report, MLA).
