Genetics Overview

Landcorp Farming has a long history of breeding rams, bulls and stags for its own farming operations. The selection of sires that increase valuable production traits continues to deliver long-term benefits to Landcorp and to other commercial farmers through the Sires of proven value^TM genetics marketing initiative.

Landcorp's sire breeding programmes, some initiated in the late 1960s, help drive continuous improvement in the physical and financial performance of sheep, cattle and deer farms. Eight programmes now distribute annually over 2,500 sires to the Company's flocks and herds with the aim of improving the genetic potential of all females farmed through the winter. These sires are also offered to other farmers through Sires of proven value^TM.

Breeding values

The breeding programmes are based on multi-trait selection indexes that combine traits into estimates of genetic merit known as "breeding values" (or BVs) for increasing the profit potential of particular animals. This form of genetic merit is passed by programme sires on to progeny born on Landcorp's farms each year, leading ultimately to profitability improvements across the Company.

In general, sire line breeding programmes select animals for genetic merit in growth and carcass merit (and in cattle breeding, also ease of calving). Dam line breeding animals are primarily selected for genetic merit in female fertility, maternal ability and growth. In the sheep programmes, selection also emphasises disease resistance and wool production.

Programmes

The eight sire breeding programmes are shown here.

Breeding Programmes
	Maternal Lines	Terminal Sire Lines
Sheep	Romney, Landmark*	Landcorp Lamb Supreme*, Texel
Beef	Angus	Simmental
Deer	Landcorp Red*	Landcorp Wapiti*
	* Composite/interbred lines