The Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test aims to help identify the best genetics across sheep breeds.

The Central Progeny Test itself cannot hope to compare the huge number of rams used by the breeding industry but it does provide critical genetic connections that enable large-scale across-flock, across-breed genetic evaluations to occur, such as SIL-ACE (for more information on SIL-ACE go to http://www.sil.co.nz/). In addition, the Central Progeny Test is also a testbed for novel traits such as meat yield and meat quality.

For more information or if you would like the results presented at a farmer meeting, please contact us.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test Results Inform Ram Selection The Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test was established in 2002. A total of 193 rams have been evaluated to date, and the breeding values for the top 25 terminal sire and top 25 dual purpose rams are presented for each trait or index. The main benefit to farmers of the Central Progeny Test is in breeding stock that will earn them more money. Other benefits are in breeding stock that have good traits. The Central Progeny Test compares the lambs of terminal rams using a growth index (calculated from weaning and carcass weight breeding values) and a meat value index (derived using VIAscan predictions of the meat in the loin, leg and shoulder provided by Alliance Group Ltd). A number of breeding values are produced, including weaning weight and eye muscle area. Some meat quality measurements (pH and colour) are also studied to monitor the effect of selecting rams for growth and meat production on these traits. Lambs of dual purpose rams are also compared using the meat value index. Some ewe lambs are retained for breeding and measurement of breeding values for the number of lambs born, fleece weight, worm faecal egg count and facial eczema resistance.