Wongajong Genetics

Wongajong Genetics

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Wongajong Rams Produce an Extra $2600 of Lamb

The 2006-drop Wongajong lambs have an average Dollar Index of 114. This means that the average ram will breed lambs that return $14 more per lamb for the First and Second-cross breeder than the Wongajong rams of 10 years ago. This amounts to $2800 extra lamb meat sales if each ram sires 200 lambs.

The Dollar Index is made up from the dollar values of:

half the extra meat grown by the first-cross wether,
half the extra lambs born to the first-cross ewe and
25% of the extra meat grown by the second-cross lamb.

It starts with a base of 100, which represented the breed average in 1990.

Wongajong Rams 5 kg Heavier, 6% More Lambs

Graph of Yearling Weight of Wongajong flock, compared with the Border breed.

The Dollar Index is calculated by LAMBPLAN from the separate ASBVs of each ram. The "average" Wongajong ram:

is 5 kg heavier when nine months old (has a "post weaning weight" ASBV of +5kg).
weans 6% more prime lambs (has a "number of lambs weaned" EBV of +6.0%).

Each Wongajong ram has its own Index value (either higher or lower than the average 114) and its own set of ASBVs. You can use these ASBVs to put together a team that is strong in one trait (for instance, high growth), to suit your individual needs.

Each ram may be searched individually at the LAMBPLAN web-site www.sheepgenetics.org.au/lambplan. Go to Search and key in the stud, year and ram number, thus 021090-2005-050001 for sheep number 1 born in 2005 in stud 1090 of Border Leicesters (02).

Even Better Rams Every Year

The average Index value of Wongajong's 1995-drop lambs was 98, and for the 2006-drop rams it is 114. The value is rising by about +1 per year. The gap between different flocks of sheep is widening.

Wongajong Genetic Values Produced by LAMBPLAN

We engage the professional team at LAMBPLAN, who are world class in genetic analysis, to analyse our data and define these genetic values. They produce their genetic ratings by:

Correcting for age and adjusting for twin and triplet rearing,
Comparing the performance of lambs treated alike,
Adding similar information obtained from the lamb's relatives to improve accuracy (vital for assessing ewe fertility),
Adding in correlated information from other factors such as scrotal circumference,
Comparing Wongajong lambs with those from other studs on the basis of link sires,
Adjusting for the heritability of each trait.

For more information on LAMBPLAN see their website at www.LAMBPLAN.com.au.

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