Operations

Breeding

 

Romney This programme has been selecting for maternal traits such as fertility, growth and wool production since the late 1960s. The programme has used multi-trait index selection since the 1970s, with the introduction in 1990 of selection also for resistance to facial eczema. Genetic trends in all of these traits have been favourable. DNA profiling of each lamb to accurately identify its parents has been part of the programme since 2001.

Landmark Based on screening from Landcorp's extensive commercial ewe population, as well as judicious purchasing of industry rams, the Landcorp Landmark programme has developed a composite dam line. Selection emphasises reproduction, growth, disease resistance and wool production. Lambs are routinely DNA profiled for accurate parent identification.

Landcorp Lamb Supreme From 1989 until 1992, Landcorp developed one of the first composite sire lines of sheep in New Zealand. Derived from screening the heaviest 0.8% of over 500,000 ewe hoggets across all of the Company's farms, Landcorp Lamb Supreme sheep have been consistently selected for weight of meat in the carcass and reduced carcass fatness. Routine use is made of both ultrasound and CT (computerised tomography) scanning to ensure accurate selections for carcass merit.

Texel This programme is based on one of New Zealand's leading Texel ram breeding flocks. It uses ultrasound and CT scanning to guide selection for improved carcass meat production without increased weight of fat in the carcass.

Angus Landcorp has New Zealand's only line of Angus cattle that has been selected for economic merit for over 30 years. A multi-trait selection index has ensured that breeding stock perform at levels of economic value to Landcorp. Traits emphasised in selections include female fertility, growth and calving ease.

Simmental This programme involves selections for genetic merit in growth, carcass traits and calving ease. The Landcorp Simmental herd has consistently shown higher mean levels of genetic merit and faster rates of genetic improvement in 200-, 400- and 600-day liveweight traits as well as carcass traits, compared with the average of all Simmental herds in New Zealand and Australia.

Landcorp Red This is a dam line breeding programme based on a stabilised cross between Eastern European Red and high merit Landcorp's New Zealand Red animals. Traits of interest include female fertility, weaning ability and growth. All animals are DNA profiled for parent identification. The design of this programme is unique in New Zealand. Making extensive use of artificial insemination, it was the first applied stag breeding programme to conduct technically sound, across-herd sire genetic evaluations. The programme continues to maintain a leading edge in the industry through the innovative use of CT scanning of young stags to improve carcass merit.

Landcorp Wapiti This programme is based on a stabilised cross between Canadian Elk and New Zealand Wapiti hinds. Selection is primarily for growth and, in an industry-first move, carcass merit through the use of CT scanning. All animals are DNA profiled for parent identification. It is the only Wapiti stag breeding programme in New Zealand that is genetically evaluating sires across herds.