We select for fertility - a trait that cannot be seen in the show ring.

We select for production

What you see in a ram comes partly from the ram's genes and partly from how well he has been fed during early life. However, the first-cross lamb inherits only the ram's genes, and gains no benefit from what the ram has eaten.

Therefore, the best way to specify a ram's production qualities is to specify his genes. We do this by treating all lambs equally and measuring the differences in performance. We then correct for differences in age, rearing type and feeding, and then calculate "Estimated Breeding Values"for each production trait. These are usually called BVs.

BVs are more accurate than appearance, partly because they are measured, but also because of the environmental corrections and the inclusion of much extra information from a ram's near-relatives.

We also cull for faults

• Wool with a defined crimp of standard Border type.
• Soundness of teeth, testes and feet.
• Freedom from black wool.

Choosing Sires for Better BVs

We look for sires that have the following Breeding Values(BVs). However, finding a ram that meets all these values is seldom possible. (The + before each BV means above average)

Maternal weaning weight (milk) +1.0 kg Weaning weight +3.0 kg Post-weaning (300 day) weight +8.0 kg Fat depth -0.5 to +0.5 mm Muscle depth (eye) +1.0 mm

Lambs weaned +15 % Greasy fleece weight +0.3 kg Birth weight no more that +0.3 kg Dollar Index 120

A typical team of sires that we use in a year is 2 two-year old rams that proved themselves in their first year and 4 one-year old rams with high EBVs. We also join (by AI) 80 ewes to three or four of the best young rams from other $uperBorder$ studs. We choose ewe and ram combinations that will give the highest average Dollar index in the lambs and will avoid in-breeding.

Ewes Also Chosen by BVs

We also apply the same process to the ewe hoggetts. We cull those with low Index values, or faults. We cull any ewe that fails to lamb twice, ewes that have lambing problems and any ewe whose index falls below the ratings of young replacement ewes.

We Use the Best Blood Lines

Wongajong does not follow any single bloodline. We select sires from the best of our own breeding and from other recorded studs on the basis of their LAMBPLAN EBVs. We have used sires or semen from the Kegra, Deepwater, Johnos, Kelso, Inverbrackie, Sylvandale, Tenalba, Gleneith, Pastoria, Jilliby and Duenclin studs. Back to Wongajong Home