WOOLTECH MERINOS - A RESOURCE FLOCK USING ELITE LINK SIRES

Few selection flocks on scientific research stations have been establi shed with above average stud sheep. Also few flocks have been selected for a commercial package of traits combining measurement and visual c lassing. Because of this, there are not many examples of high quality sheep in experimental, genetic resource flocks, despite suggestions th at sheep breeders would place more credibility on results obtained fro m such sheep. At Falkiner Memorial Field Station, Deniliquin the Woolt ech Merino stud was established in 1993 to demonstrate the use of avai lable technology in a selection flock and to trial potential new techn ology with research students. The single-sire mated flock is linked to the central test sire evaluation schemes and is linked between years. First stage selection is based on clean fleece weight, fibre diameter and bodyweight index selection combined with visual culling by a prof essional sheep classer. Multistage selection is used to economically i ncorporate selection for disease resistance and fibre diameter stabili ty. The flock is being used by some leading studs as a sire evaluation resource and as a source of genetic material