Scientist excited about new ‘easy-care’ sheep

Some of the nation's ram breeders are to be given a chance to breed a new type of sheep, says Agresearch scientist David Scobie.

Dr Scobie has been working for eight years on an experimental breeding programme to produce sheep that have less wool around the face, belly, legs and bottom.

The research is at the stage where he will soon approach some ram breeders to develop the traits for commercial flocks.

Dr Scobie said crossbreds such as coopworth, border leicester, texel and composite would respond quicker to selection because these sheep already carry some of the traits required.

"Farmers with old-fashioned romneys may struggle a bit to find the traits," he said.

Part of his research came quickly, such as work on genes for short tails, which he said was the easiest trait.

"Finding the bare-belly trait was the hardest," he said.

The "new" sheep may provide commercial benefits to farmers: with less wool around faces, bellies, legs and backsides they would be less prone to flystrike, enable lambs access to the udder and reduce the need for dagging and crutching.

Australian farmers whose animals have a major problem with flystrike and with animal welfare protests critical of mulesing merino sheep have also expressed interest in Dr Scobie's work. His work was partly prompted by experiences as a child working with sheep in Australia.

"Growing up in South Australia I was always treating flystrike and taking grass seed out of the eyes, legs and heads of sheep," he said.

For farmers who participate in the trial, it may take two to three years before the effects of selective breeding become apparent in flocks, but Dr Scobie estimated ram breeders should be able to produce the "new" sheep within five years.

- nzpa