Thirty years ago New Zealand sheep breeders were desperately trying to get more lambs out of their mainly Romney flocks, as the national lambing (docking) percentage stuck on 90%. The problem was low litter size measured by the number of lambs born for each ewe lambing (LB/EL). Farmers were well pleased if every ewe had a … Read more
Sheep, husbandry, breeding, records, official recording schemes, Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL), explanation of indexes, sub indexes, breeding values, goal traits, predictor traits, using records to select rams By Dr Clive Dalton Flock recording in New ZealandIn New Zealand the national performance recording services is now called Sheep Improvement Ltd, (SIL) which is run from within … Read more
Cattle, farming, husbandry, breeding, genetics, principles, normal distribution, genetics & environment, heritability, selection differential, generation interval, genetic gain By Dr Clive Dalton Some important basic geneticsUnderstanding the basic genetics behind what goes on in the cattle yards and paddock has always been difficult for many people to appreciate.The underlying mathematics seem to be the bit … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Cranking handles in the 1950s As a student in the 1950s, we did statistics labs on small Brunsviga hand-cranked calculators with tiny levers pulled down to select the numbers wanted. You cranked the handle clockwise until a bell rang (I think when dividing), and then cranked it anticlockwise for a reason … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Francis William Dry ‘Daddy‘‘Daddy’: FW Dry lived and worked in the days of formality when from school onwards, we males were only addressed by their surnames. In some schools, girls got their surnames too, but more often these were preceded by ‘MISS’, said with cutting emphasis if they were in trouble. … Read more
Agriculture, Animal breeding, genetics, farm livestock improvement, theory, population genetics, variation, selection, culling, genetic gain, breeding methods, heterosis, selection aids and methods By Dr D.C. Dalton Part 111. POPULATION GENETICS Selection and Breeding The complexity of traits in farm animals Most of the economic traits that breeders have to consider in farm animals are not … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Looking at a cow’s teeth When buying or selling sheep, farmers and stock agents always inspect the animals’ front teeth (incisors) to make sure they can eat pasture effectively. It’s called ‘mouthing’ and standard practice is that sale ewes are ‘guaranteed in mouth and udder’ before the hammer falls. Why don’t we … Read more