Merino Sire Evaluation and the Merino Lifetime Productivity project use a number of different types of results. These include raw data, adjusted sire means, breeding values (flock and ASBVs) and indexes. An brief explanation of these types is in the flyer available for download below.
Resources
Types of Results: An Explanation
A Pocket Guide to ASBVs
Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) are raw data results that have been adjusted to account for the effect of sex, birth/rear type, dam differences, age at measurement, level of trait heritability and correlations between traits amongst other things.
ASBVs give an estimate of the genetic potential that a sheep will pass on to it’s progeny. They are designed to be used as a breeding selection tool, combined with visual selection.
Indexes: Information & Options
Indexes are a single value that combines a set of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), each index has a particular emphasis and combination of ASBVs/traits. Further details of indexes used in sire evaluation are available in the downloadable flyer below.
Visual Sheep Scores Booklet
Visual Wool Quality Scores are used in Merino Sire Evaluation as visual standards for classers to score against in describing the physical fleece and fibre traits of individual sheep and progeny groups. These scores are reported in Sire Evaluation and the Merino Lifetime Productivity project with the each site’s own breeding objective in mind.
These scores are also used by ram breeders and commercial woolgrowers to class and select sheep appropriate to their breeding objectives.
The Producer Version 3 available to download was released in early 2020, a summary and full description of changes in this new version are also available to download (see buttons to right).
More Information
For more information and resources visit:
- Australian Wool Innovation – wool.com
- Sheep Genetics – sheepgenetics.org.au
- Sheep CRC – sheepcrc.org.au
- Animal Genetics
& Breeding Unit – agbu.une.edu.au - Australian Association of
Stud Merino Breeders – merinos.com.au - Making More From Sheep – makingmorefromsheep.com.au
Merino Sire Evaluation
Requirements
Merino Sire Evaluation trial sites operate according to AMSEA Requirements.
Download an e-copy here.
For further information about these Requirements, or if you are a trial site requiring additional hard copies, please complete this form.
Sire Entry Form
