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WorldPosted at: May 5 2025 8:10PM


Australian sheep farmers harness genetics to breed flocks resilient to climate change

Canberra, May 5 (UNI) More Australian sheep producers are turning to genetics to breed flocks that are more resilient, productive, and profitable, particularly in the face of increasing climate challenges, local media reported on Monday.

With around 200,000 animals added annually to the Sheep Genetics database, the use of DNA data in breeding is likely to grow, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

In 2016, just 30 percent of producers used genetic data when selecting rams; by 2024, that figure had nearly doubled to 56 percent, the ABC quoted statistics from Meat and Livestock Australia.

"It's no longer sheep just running around in the back paddock hoping for the best," South Australian producer Alison Henderson, among those using genetics to breed sheep in the current dry conditions, told the ABC.

Facing tough dry conditions, Henderson uses genetic and visual assessments to select sheep with strong breeding values in traits like growth, wool quality, and eating quality, to improve productivity and climate resilience, the news report said. Using complementary mating, she pairs rams and ewes with similar strengths to enhance key traits in the next generation.

"It's really exciting to see what the progeny comes out because often you are producing sheep that are excellent across a range of traits," ABC quoted Henderson as saying.

Mark Ferguson, neXtgen Agri chief executive, told ABC that modern genetics not only improves productivity but also helps reduce costs by selecting for traits like good fat and muscle, allowing sheep to better maintain weight during droughts and require less supplementary feeding, so as to make them more efficient and resilient.



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