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 Clever Kelpies

Performance

Bellaine sheep are performance-tested and data is used as a major component of our selection process.

The traits we directly measure and score are listed below.

Data from all sheep is used to produce Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV), which allow you to directly compare the genetic merit of Bellaine sheep to hundreds of thousands of Merinos nationally.

You can directly view our Sheep Genetics sale catalogue here: Bellaine 2022 Sale Ram ASBVs

What we directly measure or score

At birth:

  • Date of birth
  • Pedigree (both sire and dam)
  • Birth weight
  • Lambing ease
  • Birth status (single, twin, triplet)
  • Rearing status (raised as single, twin, triplet)
  • Skin wrinkle
  • Birth coat
  • Pigmentation
  • Other abnormalities

At marking:

  • Breech wrinkle score (using Visual Sheep Scores guide)
  • Breech cover score (using Visual Sheep Scores guide)
  • Other abnormalities

At this stage male lambs that are excessively wrinkled, very hairy, pigmented or have had other problems are castrated. Female lambs with similar issues are identified for later culling.

At weaning

  • Body weight

Before or at shearing (10—12 months)

  • pin bone sample taken for
    • Fibre diameter (plus SD, CV, curvature)
    • Yield
    • Staple strength
    • Staple length
  • Greasy fleece weight (excluding bellies)
  • Wool pigmentation (if not seen previously)

At ram selection (12-15 months)

  • Body weight
  • Visual classing using the Visual Scores Guide

Bellaine Merino Stud - Performance tested - Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV)