Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 Western Australia, Series 3
Volume 5
Number 6 November-December, 1956 Article 13
11-1956
Fleece measurements in selecting merino sheep.
Fleece measurements in selecting merino sheep.
I. K. Stott
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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation
Stott, I. K. (1956) "Fleece measurements in selecting merino sheep.," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3: Vol. 5: No. 6, Article 13.
Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3/vol5/iss6/13
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FLEECE MEASUREMENT IN SELECTING
MERINO SHEEP
By
I. K. STOTT,
B.Sc, (Agric.)
Sheep and Wool Adviser ' ^ • ^ * ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ » ^ ^ » ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ » ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
D
URING recent months a number of well-attended fleece measure- ment demonstrations have been held in various districts. The object of the demonstrations was to make stud- breeders familiar with the technique under shearing-shed conditions and, during discussion, gain a clearer understanding of fleece measurement and its application to stud-breeding.From a small group of sheep, the stud-breeders selected those they con- sidered carried the heaviest and light- est fleeces. The whole group was then shorn and the fleeces weighed, classed and valued.
The demonstrations have shown de- finitely that selecting for fleece weight by eye and touch is inefficient com- pared with the scales.
Fleece measurement used in conjunc- tion with present methods of classing in- creases the accuracy of selection of Merino sheep. It h a s grown from your desire as flockowners to have a better a s - sessment of your sheep as producers and breeders.
The purpose is to determine by objec- tive, or real m e a s u r e m e n t s those animals which are going to be t h e best commercial producers during their lifetime a n d by using the best as breeders to secure the greatest genetic a d v a n t a g e for flock im- provement.
Scientific observation has shown t h a t in classing sheep by eye appraisal we are subject to error in picking t h e best (and the worst) producers. Undue emphasis is often placed on points which have little effect on productivity. Also, in eye-class- ing it can be difficult to m a i n t a i n constant standards from t h e beginning to t h e end of classing time and from day to day.
Fleece measurement aims to overcome these difficulties by—
(a) Weighing and recording t h e shorn or greasy fleece weight (G.F.W.) of individual sheep.
(b) Determining t h e yield of clean wool from the fleece by scouring a typical sample from it to get the clean wool weight (C.W.W.).
(c) Measuring the average diameter of the fibres in fleece. This is a true indication of w h a t is termed the count of the wool.
(d) Measuring t h e average staple length.
(e) Noting a n d recording t h e classers' comments.
In practice, t h e use of these m e a s u r e - ments is modified according to t h e im- portance of the sheep. Stud rams, for instance, should be measured in great de- tail, whereas flock ewes only w a r r a n t greasy fleece weight measurements.
Selection by fleece measurement need only be applied once in t h e sheep's life- time. It is only useful when sheep of t h e same age raised in similar environments are compared. T h e two-tooth shearing is the ideal time to make measurements.
721
Journal of agriculture Vol. 5 1956
Fig. 1.—Numbered alligator ear-clips used for tem- porarily Identifying Individual sheep.
Any f u r t h e r selection during t h e sheep's lifetime should be based on age and breeding ability.
To be a useful a n d practical aid, fleece m e a s u r e m e n t m u s t "fit i n " with normal s h e a r i n g shed routine. Experience h a s shown t h a t t h i s is possible. Once the p r o - cedure is understood by shearers and shed h a n d s , one extra m a n can easily do t h e fleece m e a s u r e m e n t work, necessary in t h e shed, for t h r e e shearers.
HOW IS FLEECE MEASUREMENT APPLIED?
First, you m u s t decide on w h a t type of sheep to a i m for. As a Merino breeder you will probably w a n t sheep t h a t are able to survive a n d produce t h e m a x i m u m q u a n t - ity of wool of a specified type. They must also have t h e ability to reproduce a n d r e a r as m a n y lambs as possible of this type.
T h e n you m u s t decide on w h a t percent- age you wish to cull.
Primary Culling.
You, or your classer, t h e n cull on obvious faults, some of which a r e : —
F a u l t y testicles or udders;
Very badly over or undershot jaws;
Poor style wool, poor frames etc.
This culling should be kept to a mini- m u m so t h a t as m a n y as possible can be selected on m e a s u r e d production. T h e more c h a r a c t e r s considered, t h e less c h a n c e t h e r e is for advancement in any one, a n d t h e one you are interested in is wool production.
In the Shearing Shed.
The sheep t h a t a r e left are t h e n identi- fied in some way. A numbered ear tag is often used. A temporary alligator ear t a g is suitable a n d can be affixed to and r e - moved from ear very quickly. The wool on the midside is t h e n clearly marked with a raddle. (This is t h e point on t h e third last rib half way between the mid-line of t h e back a n d the mid-line of the belly which is most typical of the whole of t h e fleece.)
As the sheep is shorn its number is noted on a card. Fleece a n d belly weights and classers' comments are recorded against this number.
A four-ounce sample is t a k e n from t h e midside, placed in clearly labelled con- tainer and forwarded to t h e laboratory.
At the Laboratory.
From this typical four-ounce sample, staple length, fibre diameter (quality) crimps per inch a n d a m o u n t of clean wool
(after scouring) are determined.
Results.
Results are tabulated and a list show- ing you t h e number of t h e sheep, its greasy fleece weight, clean wool weight, staple length, fibre diameter, number of crimps per inch a n d fleece type is avail- able to assist in the final selection of your top sheep.
Fig. 2.—Marking the midside of the sheep with raddle so that a sample can be taken from this area after
the animal Is shorn.
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I t need not necessarily be t h a t t h e sheep with the highest G.F.W. is the one you select. The extra weight may come from grease or a n increase in strength. How- ever, you will agree t h a t , with such a list, your final selection of the sheep t h a t will grow the maximum quantity of t h e desired quality wool is much more accurate.
T h a t this is so, is proved by m a n y tests conducted by C.S.I.R.O. in the Eastern States.
In comparing the scales with eye judg- m e n t they have shown t h a t eye judgment is only 30 per cent as efficient as the scales for raising fleece weights, and only 50 per cent, as efficient for raising monetary r e - turns.—(Which would you use?)
HOW IS THE IMPROVEMENT ACHIEVED?
Selection in animals is for two main purposes.
(1) To improve t h e average produc- tion of those t h a t are retained.
(2) To improve t h e production of future generations by using the best producers as breeders.
It should aim to make the difference between the average production of those selected and the average of the group be- fore selection as large as possible so as to secure the maximum benefit.
Fleece measurement can help to do this.
Current Flock Improvement.
The repeatability of fleece weight in Merino sheep is approximately 0.7 or 70 per cent. This means t h a t , on the average, sheep selected a t t h e two-tooth shearing with a superiority for fleece weight of 1 lb.
over the average of t h e flock before selec- tion, will have a superiority of 1 x 70/100
= 0.7 lb. over the average of the unculled flock in subsequent shearings.
This is t h e basis for improvement of production in t h e current flock.
The scales will help to make the differ- ence between those selected and the u n - culled flock as large as possible.
Future or Genetic Improvement.
Heritability measures the p a r t of cur- rent improvement achieved by selection which is due to heredity and therefore will be passed on from p a r e n t s to offspring.
The heritability of any character is given a numerical value according to t h e extent t h a t it is passed on, any value of 0.3 or 30 per cent, or more being regarded as high.
Heritability of fleece weight in t h e Merino has been found to be 0.4 or 40 per cent. This means t h a t by measuring p r o - duction of parents, and using t h e superior animals, we can be certain t h a t a big p r o - portion of their superiority is being passed on to the offspring.
For example, p a r e n t s selected with a n average superiority of 1 lb. can, in general, be expected to have progeny with fleece weights 0.4 lb. above the average of t h e progeny from the unclassed flock.
This is genetic improvement from gen- eration to generation and is t h e p e r m a n - ent improvement.
Since it takes about four years for one generation to replace the last t h e a n n u a l genetic improvement is only one quarter of this.
For instance, in the above example where we have an improvement of 0.4 lb. from one generation to the next, the a n n u a l genetic improvement would be 0.1 lb.
Thus the a n n u a l genetic improvement in the production of Merino flocks can be
Fig. 3.—Weighing the fleece after shearing.
of agriculture Vol. 5 1956
Fig. 4.—Taking a sample from the raddled area. The sample is then labelled and forwarded to the fleece
measurements laboratory.
quite small which further emphasises the need for a c c u r a t e selection in the first place.
T h e scales will help you do this m u c h m o r e accurately t h a n your eye.
FLEECE MEASUREMENT AND YOU How m a n y of you are t h i n k i n g "Maybe t h i s is so, b u t how does it affect m e ? "
Studs.
Under a n y system of selection the g r e a t e s t scope for genetic improvement is in t h e studs. In selecting top r a m s there is m u c h more c h a n c e to m a k e t h e differ- ence between t h e ones selected and the average before selection quite large. One r a m c a n influence 50 offspring per year so t h a t such genetic improvement can be first passed on to t h e rest of the stud and eventually to commercial flocks buying r a m s from t h i s stud. While the stud con- tinues to progress so do commercial flocks buying r a m s from it. By m a k i n g accurate m e a s u r e m e n t s of all factors which con- t r i b u t e to q u a n t i t y a n d quality of wool produced t h e s t u d m a s t e r can gauge his progress.
While a full scale system of measure- m e n t s is preferable t o determine t h a t p r o - gress is in t h e r i g h t direction, this need n o t be applied over all t h e sheep in the
stud. Only t h e top ram-breeding nucleus need be measured. Advances in this group are t h e n rapidly passed on to the rest of the stud which breeds sale r a m s a n d t h e n to the commercial flocks.
To the stud-master, fleece measurement is a useful tool. It will enable him to select more accurately, make progress a n d con- tinue to progress while he uses t h e best producers.
Also, as t h e production of p a r e n t s can be directly measured a n d fleece weight in the Merino is highly heritable, stud- masters can be confident t h a t in using the best producing p a r e n t s they are progress- ing genetically. The time-consuming and expensive progeny test loses m a n y of its advantages, although it will still be use- ful in comparing r a m s raised in different environments.
Commercial Flocks.
Full-scale m e a s u r e m e n t s in commercial flocks are hardly warranted. Usually the scope for selection on fleece weight is so small t h a t any genetic advances resulting are of little economic significance.
Genetic advances, however, can be bought via r a m s from studs which are progressing.
However, basing selection of ewes on a simple system of Greasy Fleece Weight can do much to increase t h e current pro- duction of t h e ewe flock. The advances achieved may only be small per head, but when spread over a large flock they amount to a considerably quantity of wool.
Such advances being highly repeatable are carried on over the lifetime of the selected ewes.
LAMBING PERCENTAGE
Throughout, we have been considering production as t h e a m o u n t of wool of a specified type t h a t sheep produce. An- other i m p o r t a n t factor in production is the number of lambs raised.
High lambing percentage gives you the chance to select more heavily a n d thus increase t h e r a t e at which the average immediate production of the flock pro- gresses.
Lambing percentages w a r r a n t attention.
5
nal of agriculture Vol. 5 1956
SUMMARY
1. To evaluate the worth of a sheep as a producer and breeder. Fleece measure- ment uses directly measurable characters, G.F.W., C.W.W., fibre diameter, staple length, crimps to the inch.
2. It is used in conjunction with other methods of classing and gives greater ac- curacy to selection.
3. It will be most useful when used in studs, as rams can be selected intensively
and can more rapidly pass on genetic im- provement to flocks.
4. Only animals of the same age and raised in the same environment should be compared.
4
5. Fleece measurement fits in with normal management and if used in con- junction with present methods of classing can double the present rate of breeding improvement.
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