Sheep and Goat Science Commons^™

Differences Between Merino Strains And Studs, Roger Lewer

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

When commercial wool growers select Merino rams they often use the following pattern: the buyers first consider the main strains of Merinos in Western Australia - Bungaree, Collinsville and Peppin. They then study the 550 studs and numerous non-stud ram breeders in this State. Having chosen a breeder, they examine the rams on offer and buy their annual requirements from among these. Until recently, no objective information has been available on the differences between studs and strains in Western Australia's agricultural areas. However, as part of a major study at the Department of Agriculture's Great Southern Agricultural Research Institute, these …

Special Field Days For Merino Breeders, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

More than 200 Merino stud breeders attended special stud breeding and fertility field days arranged for them by the Department of Agriculture recently.

Breeders attending represented some 40 per cent of the State's Merino studs.

Sheep Breeding Problems In W.A. : The Industry's View, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN 1963 a short questionnaire was distributed to farmers and pastoralists seeking information about sheep breeding problems and lamb losses.

This was a fore-runner to the Department of Agriculture survey into the causes of abortion and lamb mortality which is reported elsewhere in this issue.

The Role Of Fleece Measurement In Selecting Merino Sheep, H G. Neil, R. J. Lightfoot

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MANY things determine how much wool a sheep can grow.

These include the amount and quality of pasture available or how the sheep are fed, the stocking rate, the general health and thrift of the sheep and other management considerations such as cropping and the time of lambing.

Ram Management, J Craig

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

REALISING that good rams play an important role in flock improvement, the wise flock owner selects his rams after careful consideration of their breeding, type, production and fleece characters or potential meat-producing qualities.

Good ram management can have a major effect on lambing percentages. In this article Senior Veterinary Surgeon J. Craig outlines methods of achieving the best results from rams.

Grow More Wool, W L. Mcgarry, R. J. Lightfoot

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE amount of wool that each sheep grows is determined by many things, including the amount and quality of pasture available or how the sheep are fed, the stocking rate, the general health and thrift of the sheep and other management considerations such as cropping and the time of lambing.

Selecting And Culling Sheep Flocks, H E. Fels

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SHEEP flocks are culled and selected for two main reasons—firstly to get immediate improvements in the present generation and secondly, to improve future generations.

Teaser (Vasectomised) Rams : A Management Advantage, W L. Mcgarry, I. K. Stott

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WITH normal late spring-early summer matings (October-December) teaser rams, correctly used, will give a more concentrated lambing.

This has been shown under Western Australian conditions in trials conducted at the Wongan Hills Research Station.

In one experiment a group of 100 ewes which had one per cent, of teasers for 14 days before the fertile rams went in, dropped 42 lambs in the first two weeks of lambing, compared with 17 lambs from 100 ewes that were not teased.

The use of teasers in all Research Station flocks is now routine practice.