2005 News
New genetics database takes Australian sheep industry into new era
18/10/2005
Australia's sheep industry will have access to the world's largest sheep genetics database following the launch of Sheep Genetics Australia (SGA) by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon. Peter McGauran in Adelaide today.
SGA is a national genetic information and evaluation service for the meat and wool sectors of the sheep industry and has been developed jointly by Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), together with industry.
With performance records on more than two million sheep - one million Merinos and more than one million meat sheep - SGA is the world's largest and most powerful sheep genetic information source.
SGA's core product is the provision and maintenance of a national database for the calculation of performance breeding values. These breeding values will be released as a single national language, known as Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).
ASBVs are designed to be used by ram breeders and commercial producers to compare the genetic potential of rams and ewes for a range of industry agreed traits, across flocks, independent of the environment and location.
MLA Managing Director Mark Spurr said the project demonstrated extraordinary collaboration across the industry, including the levy-funded research organisations, genetic service providers and seedstock producers across the sheep industry.
"This type of collaboration ensures the most effective use of producer levy funds and I am confident SGA will provide a high return on investment through increases in genetic gain and productivity for Australia's sheep producers," Mr Spurr said.
Chairman of AWI Ian McLachlan said the project was one of the most significant developments for Australia's Merino sheep industry and would provide the platform for a new era for sheep producers.
"SGA features the largest number of performance traits ever produced for both wool and meat. This will allow all sheep producers to better tailor their breeding programs to push productivity and quality within their own production systems," Mr McLachlan said.
One of SGA's key features is that breeders retain direct ownership of their data. Another is the online access for commercial producers and breeders. Data can be viewed by the industry online, and searches can be carried out to help producers select sheep with commercially relevant traits.
The database and the newly available ASBVs will enable sheep producers to make the most informed genetic selection decisions ever possible and further tailor their breeding programs to suit their target markets and production systems.
SGA will also be crucial in the delivery of the new generation of genomic tools for breeders expected in the coming years.