This week we have another in our "Fergs Thoughts" series. This week Dr Mark Ferguson talks us through the benefits of using EID and how it can help with replacement ewe selection.
Ferg shares his thoughts on how to best utilise EID to make better decisions when selecting replacement ewes for your flock.
"What we have to be careful of is, within that selection decision, is only a part of what we see is genetic. We see a small animal that's not doing so well.. but it may be a late born twin... It's genetics could be just as good as an early born lamb"
Mark suggests separating twins from singles at replacement selection so you're not judging twins against singles. This requires lambing twins and singles separately and keeping them that way until marking/docking, so that you can identify them with tags then.
EID allows you to store data points which gives you the ability you to make that informed decision.
"Without EID it becomes difficult to keep track of all of those things."
Weaning weight, condition scores, wool traits, reproductive performance, birth litter size.. the list of things you can record to an EID is endless.
Mark reminds us we need to make sure to "remove the noise".
"Even when we're measuring things, it's still important to remember that not all of it is genetic. Some of it's genetic, some of it's environmental"
We've developed a tool at neXtgen Agri that helps correct data for the known fixed effects, which we'll be commercialising soon.
Mark covers the other benefits of having EID, from being able to mix up mobs and seperate them again easily at any point. "You don't have to worry about a dot on their back fading or being shorn off, once it's on the EID it's there forever."
Mark also discusses Genesmith, technology we have been developing to match lamb to dam at commercial scale, without the need for expensive DNA or collars.
Designer Genes
Later this month neXtgen Agri will be on the road in the North and South Island to bring our "Designer Genes" workshop to you.
Email info@nextgenagri.com for more information.
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