Over the last few days at “The Vale” we have been working on the Merino Lifetime Productivity trial.
We also had two work experience girls with us, a year 11 student from Temora High School and an Animal Science student from Charles Sturt University to assist with the trial.
In January, Merino ewes were artificially inseminated as part of the MLP trial. This week the resulting lambs were brought into the yards for examination.
Each of the lambs were vaccinated, sexed and given a score based on their level of pigmentation, wrinkle and birth coat. A tissue sample was taken using the Allflex TSU. The DNA in the tissue sample is used to identify exactly which ewe each of the lambs belongs to. Finally the lambs had an EID tag and visual tag placed in either ear for easy identification in later stages of the trial.
All of this information has been recorded and will be tracked throughout the lifetime of these lambs to see what role visual traits and sire plays in producing better performing lambs. This research will help us to better understand how to select animals that will have greater lifetime productivity.