MATERNAL CENTRAL
PROGENY TEST
Lambplan
research into the best firstcross maternal breed for the prime lamb industry...
RESULTS: FINNSHEEP ARE THE BEST DAM BREED!
BEST
The MATERNAL CENTRAL PROGENY TEST has now (June 2000) found Finns and
Finn-Friesians to be the BEST DAM BREED in the following categories:
BEST: Base ewes pregnant.
BEST: FirstX ewes pregnant.
BEST: Foetal scanning of base ewes.
BEST: Foetal scanning of FirstX ewes.
BEST: Prejoining liveweight of FirstX ewes.
BEST: Assisted births: base and FirstX ewes.
BEST: Lambs born per base ewe joined.
BEST: Lambs born per FirstX ewe joined.
BEST: Marking percentage of FirstX lambs.
BEST: Lamb survival to marking base and FirstX ewes.
BEST: Weaning weight FirstX lambs.
BEST: Total carcass weight of 2ndX lambs per ewe joined.
BEST: Carcass fat and eye muscle area of 2ndX lambs.
BEST: FirstX wool EBVs.
Please note: MOST OF THE FINNS AND ALL THE FINN-FRIESIANS WERE GIPPFINN RAMS
AND/OR UNSW RAMS - THE LINK SIRE (WARRAYURE 93-5010) IS A UNSW RAM.
This study, which is linked to Lambplan http://ansc.une.edu.au/lambplan/ ,
FOR EXAMPLE:
Finns are nearly always better than Border
Finns and Finn-Friesians nearly always rate BEST in the number of lambs
produced from mating with Merinos/Corriedales (by up to 25% more). This means
more dollars in the 1stX producers' pockets.
Finn & Finn-Friesian lamb survival at both 1stX and 2ndX is nearly always
BEST.
Finns are nearly always BEST in requiring least assistance with lambing = fewer
dead ewes and lambs and more dollars.
Finn & Finn-Friesian number of lambs produced, weaned and marketed at both
1st and 2ndX is nearly always BEST. Again more dollars in
farmers' pockets.
Finns are nearly always BEST in total weight of lambs/ewe joined, and lambed.
Finn 1stX wool quality is nearly always BEST.
Carcass muscling of 1stX and 2ndX lambs is nearly always in the TOP 10%.
Finn 1stX and 2ndX lambs are either AVERAGE or in the TOP 25%, so there is no
disadvantage from having more lambs.
Faecal egg count in 1stX and 2ndX is in the TOP 25%.
STUDY WEAKNESSES
The study was not set up optimally to assess the profitability of increases in
either fertility or fecundity in two ways:
1. Because AI matings have always been used it is impossible to assess whether
a ram's fertility leads him to produce more 1stX progeny or whether the effects
seen are due to using different AI techniques, etc. In the study Finns normally
produce up to 25% more lambs and this is echoed by other overeas studies and by
farmer experience. More lambs at this stage enormously increases profitability
for the 1stX lamb producer.
2. Though both 1stX and 2ndX ewes are scanned during pregnancy, no attempt is
made to separate those carrying singles from those carrying twins into
different management groups as would be normal farmer practice if s/he is going
to optimise productive advantages. This neglect works doubly against FinnX ewes
who are normally born twins and who are carrying twins at 12 and 19
months of age. You do have to feed your sheep.
See below for a summary or visit the MCPT site at http://lambplan.une.edu.au/mcpt/index.htm
for more details.
RESULTS BY DATE:
10TH APRIL, 2000, DYNAMIC DAMS:
Finns: Top 25% - Adjusted post weaning weight - 1999 1stX ewes and
wethers, Cowra, Fig 1, p3.
Finns: BEST - Total Carcasss weight of 2ndX lambs per ewe joined - 1997
drop 1stX ewes joined autumn 1999 Cowra Fig 2, p3.
Finns: Average - Adjusted post weaning weight of 2ndX lambs - 1997 drop
1stX ewes joined autumn 1999 Cowra, Fig 3, p4.
Finns: top 10% - Carcass fat and eye muscle area of 2ndX lambs -1997
drop 1stX ewes joined autumn 1999 Cowra, Fig 4, p4.
Finns Top 25% - Adjusted post-weaning weight of 2ndX lambs - 1998 drop
1stX ewes joined autumn 1999 Cowra, Fig 5, p4.
Finns: BEST - Pregnant: 1997 drop 1stX ewes joined spring 1999 Cowra,
Fig 6, p5.
Finns: Top 20% - Foetuses per ewe pregnant: as above.
Finns: BEST - Pregnant: 1998 drop of 1stX ewes joined spring 1999 Cowra,
Fig 7, p5.
Finns: Top 10% - Foetuses per ewe pregnant, as above.
Finns: Top 25% - Liveweight: 1999 1stX ewes and wether Struan, Fig 8,
p6.
Finns: BEST - Foetal scan - 1998 1stX ewes joined at Rutherglen Nov/Dec
1999 Rutherglen, Table 2, p6, "All three Finn sires have the highest
potential lambing percentages of ewes joined ranging from 148%-170%"
Finns: Top 25% - Prejoining liveweight and fat score 1997 & 1998
drop 1stX ewes Hamilton, Table 3, p7.
Finns: BEST - Prejoining liveweight - 1999 drop 1stX ewes Hamilton Table
4, p8.
9TH DECEMBER, 1999: DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: Top 10% - Lambing results from 1999 AI matings at Cowra, Table 3,
p3.
Finns: Top 25% - Weaning weight 1stX lambs Cowra 1999, Fig 1, p3.
Finns: Top 25% - Lamb survival - 1stX lambs Cowra 1999, Fig 2, p3.
Finns: Top 10% - Assisted Births - as above.
Finns: Top 25% - Lambing performance of 1stX ewes joined at 7 months
Cowra, Fig 3, p4.
Finns BEST - Lambs born/ewe joined - 1999 lambing performance of 1stX
ewes autumn joined at 19 months Cowra, Fig 4, p4.
Finns: Top10% - Lambs weaned/ewe joined, as above.
Finns: Top10% - Ewes lambing/ewe joined - 1999 lambing performance of
1stX ewes autumn joined at 7 months Cowra, Fig 5, p5.
Finns: Top 10% - Lambs weaned/ewe joined, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Lamb survival - 1stX lambs Hamilton 1999, Fig 6, p7.
Finns: BEST - Weaning weight - 1stX lambs
Finns: Top 25% - Milk production - 2ndX lamb growth and milk production
from 1997 drop 1stX ewes
Finns: Top 10% - 1999 lambing performance of 1997 drop 1stX ewes joined
at 19 months
Finns: Top 25% - Weight at 5 months - 1stX lambs Struan 1999, Fig 10,
p10.
8TH AUGUST 1999 DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: BEST - 1STX wool EBVs 1999, Table 3, P3.
Finns:Top 10% Lambing performance of 1stX ewes joined at Cowra at 7 and
14 months: ewes lambed/ewe joined, lambs/ewe joined, lambs weaned/ewe joined,
carcass weight/ewe joined, Fig 1, p4.
Finns: Top 10% - Ewes lambed/ ewe joined - Lambing performance of 1stX
ewes at
Finns: BEST< - Lambs/ ewe lambing, as above. >Finns: Top 10%
- Lambs weaned/ewe joined, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Carcass weight/ewe joined, as above.
"The Finn Warrayure 930057 seems to have a very high twinning rate
again (in 1997 drop 1stX ewes)...The most fertile sire groups (in 1998 drop
1stX ewes was) Gippfinn 960086.",
Finns: BEST 10% Scanning results for 1997 drop
ewes
Finn-Friesian (Gippfinn 960085): BEST, Finn: Second BEST - Scanning
results for 1998 drop ewes
Finn-Friesian (Gippfinn 960132): BEST, Finn: Second BEST - Marking
percentage Struan 1999, Table 8, p8.
7TH MARCH 1999 DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: Top 10% - Total carcass weight/ewe joined @ 7 months - 1stX ewes
- 2ndX carcass production, Fig 1, p2.
Finns: Average - Adjusted carcass weight 2ndX lambs spring drop 1998
Cowra, Fig 2, p2.
Finns: Average - Carcass fat @ 21kg, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Carcass ema @ 21 kg, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - ewes pregnant (scanned) - 1stX ewes
sping joined Cowra, Fig 4, p3.
Finns: Top 10% - Foetuses/pregnant ewe, as above.
Finns: Average - Carcasss weight - 1stX wethers 1998 Cowra, Fig 5, p4.
Finns: Top 10% - Fat GR @ 21 kg, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Eye muscle area @ 21 kg, as above.
Finns: Top 25% - Adjusted live weights - 1stX lambs Struan, 1999, Fig 7,
p5.
Finns & Finn-Friesian (Gippfinn 960132): BEST - Foetal Scanning
Struan January 1999, Table 2, p5.
5TH SEPTEMBER 1998 DYNAMIC DAMS
FINNS: Top 50% - Adjusted weights - 1stX lambs Struan 1998, Fig 2, p3.
Finns: Top 10%< - Total weight of lambs
weaned/ ewe joined @ 7 months, 2ndX lambs Cowra Spring 1998, Fig 3, p4. >Finns:
BEST - Lambs weaned/ewe joined @ 7 months - 2ndX lambs Cowra spring 1998,
Fig 4, p4.
Finns: BEST - Lamb survival, as above.
Finns: Average - Weight - 1stX lambs Cowra 1998, Fig5, p5.
Finns; Average - Weaning weight - 1stX lambs
Finns: Average - Weaning weight - 2ndX lambs Hamilton 1998, Fig 7, P7.
5TH SEPTEMBER 1998 DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: Top 25% - Adjusted weaning weight - Average progeny performance
for each sire, Struan 1998, Fig 1, p3.
Finns: Top 25% - Lamb survival. as above.
Finns: BEST - Lambing results - Maternal Sire AI Mating - Cowra 1998,
Table 2, p4.
Finns: BEST - Lamb Survival to Marking - Average progeny performance of
each sire Cowra 1998, Fig 1, p4.
Finns: Top 10% - Assisted births, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Ewes Lambing @ 12 months - Lambing results 1stX ewes autumn joined Cowra 1998, Fig 4, p5.
Finns: Top 10% - Lambs born/ewe lambing, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Lambs born/ewe joined, as above.
Finn-Friesian (Gippfinn 960086): BEST, Finns: 2nd BEST - Number of lambs
marked - 1stX lambs Hamilton 1998, Table 3, p6.
Finns: Top 10% - Assistance and survival rates 1998 lambing Hamilton,
Table 4, p6.
Finns: Average - Lamb birthweights 1998 AI matings
Finns: BEST - Sire progeny lamb survival and bithweight from 1stX ewes
Finns: Top 10% - Faecal Egg Count results on ewe weaners Hamilton 1998,
Table 6, p7.
JULY 1998 DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: Top 10% Weight - 1stX meat EBVs 1997-8, Table 1, p2 - and this
is without undue leanness and with muscling in the top 25%, and always better
than Leicesters.
Finns: Top 10% - Dressing percentages - Sire progeny means for meat
clour, pH and dressing%, Fig 1, p4. Colour and pH were also good.
Finns: Top 10% - Percentage pregnant at 7 months - 1stX ewe mating
performance Cowra 1998, Fig 2, p5.
Finns: BEST -Average foetal number, as above.
Finns: Top 10% - Relationship of pregnancy rate and ewe liveweight,
Cowrta 1998, Fig 3, p5.
Finns: BEST - Maternal Sire AI Mating Cowra 1998 - pregnancy scanning
results, Table 2, p5.
Finns: BEST - Number of 1stX ewes joined (Plus 17%) - 1stX ewe fertility
Hmilton 1998, Table 3, p6.
Finns: Top 10% - Percentage pregnant, as above.
Finns: BEST - pH - 1stX wether carcass data
Finns: Top 10% - Wool length, as above.
Finns: Top 25% - Dressing percentage, as above.
Finns: Top25% - Carcass fat, as above.
Finns: Average plus - Carcass weight, as above.
Finns: BEST TWO - percentage pregnant - Maternal sire AI mating
Finns: Top 25% - Potential lambs, as above.
Finns: BEST -Ewes pregnant - Maternal Sire AI mating Struan 1998, Table
6, p7.
Finns: BEST - Number of foetuses, as above.
3RD MARCH 1998 DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: BEST -Assisted births (lowest) - Average performance of progeny
of each sire at Cowra, Fig 1, p3.
Finns: Top 10% - Lamb survival to weaning, as above.
Finns: Top 25% - Weaning weight, as above.
Finns: Top25% - Lamb survival
Finns:Top 25% - Weaning weights
COWRA WEANING REPORT: 3/11/97
,B>Finns: BEST TWO Finns: BEST - Assisted
births (lowest) - Average performance of progeny of each sire, Fig 1, p2.
Finns: Top 10% - Lamb survival to weaning, as above.
Finns: Top 25% - Weaning weights, as above.
2ND SEPTEMBER 1997 DYNAMIC DAMS
Finns: BEST - Foetal scanning Cowra 1997, p3.
Finns: BEST - Foetal scanning
CONCLUSION: FINNSHEEP ARE THE BEST
DAM BREED
| & Della Jones, Gippfinn Finnsheep Stud RMB 4518, Morwell 3840 |
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