20 December 1999

Grass roots farmers own new breeding system

(400 words)

Grass roots farmers don’t seem to realise they own and control the new Sheep Improvement system, according to Allister Macgregor of Breedpac.

"They are used to the old regime, where farmers were often told they had input, but in reality the systems were too inflexible to cater for individual needs," he says.

"SIL (Sheep Improvement Limited) is a totally different system. So much so, farmers will need to re-think their recording and breeding priorities if they want to make the most of it."

As general manager of one of New Zealand’s seven sheep performance recording bureaus, Mr Macgregor says SIL has changed the relationship between the bureaus and their farmer clients.

"The old recording schemes are efficient but inflexible. Farmers have been limited in what they could record and the outputs they could get.

"In contrast, SIL is a flexible and powerful tool which allows farmers to choose what traits they want to select for and the weightings they give to each.

"If farmers want to record black spots on ears they can. If they want to record scrotum size, they can do that too. It’s that flexible.

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Macgregor 2

"It can give them estimated breeding values for traits they may not even measure – like worm FEC. It’s that powerful."

SIL operates under the umbrella of six of the existing recording bureaus: Breedpac, FlockLinc, Geneplan, NZ Romney Breeders Association, NZ Recording Services and the NZ Sheepbreeders’ Association. It is a flock database and genetic number cruncher set up to lift the productivity of all sheep farms.

Each bureau is transferring its recorded data on to the SIL system. Only one, the NZ Animal Breeding Trust, has yet to take the plunge.

"With SIL, the bureaus are now service providers rather than number crunchers. Farmers are free to move their business to the bureau which provides them with the best service," Mr Macgregor says.

"We’re helping breeders understand SIL, how to use it and what reports they want back about their animals."

But he advises breeders to get advice from an animal breeding consultant or geneticist in order to get the most out of the system.

"Meat New Zealand and WoolPro have provided farmers with the best possible technology at the lowest possible price.

"It’s up to breeders to use it and in turn provide commercial farmers with superior animals to upgrade their own flocks."

[ends]

Dr Ken Geenty, freephone 0800 SIL HELP (0800 745 435)
e-mail: ken.geenty@woolpro.co.nz