LIVESTOCK | BREEDING
Questions for your ram breeder BY: JAMES HOBAN
WHAT IS BEING RECORDED, HOW AND WHY?
am breeders are notorious for having diverse opinions and philosophies. It is common industry advice that selecting a ram breeder is a more important decision than choosing the right rams. There is a big range in approaches, knowledge and interest shown by ram clients. The following are areas that are worth considering when dealing with ram breeders.
There is massive variation in how breeders approach performance recording. This ranges from breeders selling rams without any figures and, at times, a firm belief that Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL) can ruin good flocks, right through to people who push indexes as the most important consideration when selecting rams. The key is balance. If the right ram breeder has been selected then their recording will align with the priorities of the client. If a client wants indexes and a particular range of estimated breeding values they can always go to a ram breeder who provides them. If they don’t want that level of information and they are happy with the breeder’s rationale, the ram’s performance and past experience, then it is ignorant to say they are wrong. SIL is one of the most debated topics among ram breeders. Industry promotion of ram selection through NZ maternal worth and NZ terminal worth indexes has appeared to simplify what breeders would argue is a science and an art. This has suited index focused breeders and breeds
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BREEDING OBJECTIVES Has the breeder got robust objectives for their flock? Can they articulate these clearly? The most important thing is that those objectives are aligned with the commercial farmer’s own plans. If the breeder is moving in a different direction then that needs to be considered. Various traits can be counterproductive to each other, so it is important to know the priorities for a commercial system and work with a ram breeder who is focused on the same things. These will vary between individuals, properties and farm systems.
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at the expense of, often, more traditional breeders and breeds who might not have indexes or high indexes but might very well have good sheep. Indexes are most relevant for an inter-flock comparison when those flocks are well linked genetically. When presented with ram rankings it is important to look at what index they are based on and whether it is a withinflock or across-flock evaluation. Breeders use and present a range of reports and figures. Breeds with strong linkage between breeders can make better comparison across flocks than those where breeders are not well linked. Also, it seems that breeds with relatively poor linkage struggle to present rams with huge indexes. This is a challenge for smaller breeds and breed groups where achieving strong linkage through reciprocal ram use is not always straightforward to achieve.
ADVICE SELECTING RAMS Breeders know the sheep they have available and are used to looking closely at rams. While some people are reluctant to ask for help making selections it is a good
Country-Wide
October 2020