For this project Low Footprint Lamb is recording DNA for all lambs for three years (1,010 lambs in 2022, 1,292 lambs in 2023, 947 lambs in 2024) and providing as much shedding data as possible. This project aims to shed light on the genes involved in shedding.

This project has great merit, as we recognise that the maternal composites have superior lamb producing genes that we need to bring across to the Nudies, and the bulk of specialised lamb producing sheep have low value wool that producers are looking to breed off.

Visual traits being recorded:

• Shedding: 4 scores – taken during the shedding season (August to February) – this tells us when they shed and how much wool they are left with at the end of the season.
• Crutch shedding: 4 scores – taken during the shedding season (August to February). Some sheep shed their crutch area earlier than the rest of their body. We see this as a valuable trait if you are crossing with woolly sheep (no crutching after the first cross).
• Shedding pattern: 4 scores – taken during the shedding season (August to February first year only) – we have recorded this to see if there is anything to learn from it.
• Staple length: One measurement in August before shedding starts. This gives us an indication of the volume of wool they grow. It is highly heritable – reducing staple length may allow for shearing every second year.
• Birth coat: the lamb is scored at birth. 1 is hairy like a goat and 5 is bald and pink. As we select for less wool, we do not want our lambs left without a good birth coat.

All of our normal production traits and historic data will be added to this project to enhance selection with the help of genomics.

We have contributed to MLA’s Repro Satellite Flock project with 2020 and 2021 drop ewe lambs.

This involves DNA sampling from the complete generation of ewe lambs – 386 in the 2020 drop and 351 in the 2021 drop. All Repro data is collected for two lambings, no ewes are culled until after the second mating.

This will contribute to the genomic database and strengthen our selection decisions going forward.

Our flock is highly worm resistant, with each generation coming in at about -60% PWEC in Lambplan. In 2023 one of our rams jumped to -98% PWEC and we now have 17 out of the top 20 worm resistant rams in Lambplan. We are now the most worm resistant recorded flock in Australia.

Our stud sheep have not been drenched for the past four years and prior to this they were drenched only once a year at lamb marking. The past four years have been very challenging for worms in our district due to higher rainfall, green summers and dry autumns, with challenging feed conditions.

Ewes get their last drench at 1.5 years when their first lambs are weaned. Lambs are drenched as required after a WEC.

Our commercial ewes are drenched on an individual basis at marking, if they are under CS 3 (about 5-10% get drenched).

We lamb in Spring and run 12 sheep per ha on improved country and 6 per ha on leased country.

It has been a challenge getting WECs high enough to do individual WECs (needing over 400epg average). Twice in the past 6 years we have purchased worms from Resurrect Refugia and drenched lambs with worms. This has allowed us to get fast and accurate worm info, while also introducing chemically naive worms. With our low drench requirements these worms have taken over our original worm population making all chemical drench groups effective again.

Change in chemical effectiveness:

Worm resistance is driven by a more responsive or aggressive immune system. Other research has connected high worm resistance to better footrot resistance and a better response to vaccinations.

We also select for growth – animals that can grow under a worm load clearly have resilience. This massively reduces the risks to animal health and production loss due to worms in our high rainfall environment. Also reducing labour and chemical costs needed to manage worms.

Do you need to drench your mature ewes?

See below timeline showing how our ewes have managed their worms over the last 6 years, going from one drench per year at lamb marking to no drench at all.