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Dairy sheep breeding scheme

 


Example:

 

First group of randomly selected rams (rams 1001-1016)

Second group of randomly selected rams (rams 2001-2016

2003

Breeding - October

  
 

  • Breed 16 rams to 20 ewes each as shown in diagram.

 

2004

Lambing - March

  
 

  • Keep all healthy ewe lambs and six[1] healthy ram lambs from each of rams 1001-1016.

 
 

Breeding - October

Breeding - October
 

  • Daughters of rams 1001-1016 are included in the group of ewes bred to rams 2001-2016[2].

  • Another set of 16 rams (rams 2001-2016) are used in the above breeding scheme. 

2005

Lambing - March

Lambing - March
 

  • Daughters from rams 1001-1016 begin lactating

  • Keep all healthy ewe lambs and six healthy ram lambs from each of rams 2001-1016.

 

Breeding - October

Breeding - October
 

  • Lactation records of daughters from rams 1001-1016 are used to determine EBVs of those rams.

  • The 16 ram lambs (rams 1017-1032) from the top 4 of rams 1001-1016 are bred to 20 ewes each. The breeding scheme can get simpler from this point.  Genetically-related rams are assigned to different flocks so AI and shared rams may not be needed.

  • Ram lambs from other sires are sold.

  • Daughters of rams 2001-2016 are included in the group of ewes bred to rams 1017-1032.

2006

Lambing - March

Lambing - March
 

Keep all healthy ewe lambs and all healthy ram lambs from each of rams 1017-1032.

Daughters from rams 2001-2016 begin lactating.
 

Breeding - October

Breeding - October
 

Daughters of rams 1017-1032 are included in the group of ewes bred to rams 2017-2032.

  • Lactation records of daughters from rams 2001-2016 are used to determine EBVs of those rams.

  • The 16 ram lambs (rams 2017-2032) from the top 4 of rams 2001-2016 are bred to 20 ewes ewes each. The breeding scheme can get simpler from this point.  Genetically-related rams are assigned to different flocks so AI and shared rams may not be needed.

  • Ram lambs from other sires are sold.

2007

Lambing - March

Lambing - March
 

  • Daughters from rams 1017-1032 begin lactating.

  • Keep all healthy ewe lambs and all healthy ram lambs from each of rams 2017-2032.

 

Breeding - October

Breeding - October
 

  • Lactation records of daughters from rams 1017-1032 are used to determine EBVs of those rams.

  • The 16 ram lambs (rams 1033-1048) from the top 4 of rams 1017-1032 are bred to 20 ewes each.

  • Ram lambs from other sires are from selected sires so they can be sold or used for breeding.

Daughters of rams 2017-2032 are included in the group of ewes bred to rams 1033-1048.

2008

Lambing - March

Lambing - March
 

  • Keep all healthy ewe lambs and six healthy ram lambs from each of rams 1033-1048.

  • Daughters from rams 2017-2033 begin lactating.

 

Breeding - October

Breeding - October
 

  • Daughters of rams 1033-1048 are included in the group of ewes bred to rams 2017-2032.

  • Lactation records of daughters from rams 2017-2032 are used to determine EBVs of those rams.

  • The 16 ram lambs (rams 2033-2048) from the top 4 of rams 2017-2032 are bred to 20 ewes each.

  • Ram lambs from other sires are from selected sires so they can be sold or used for breeding.

There are many other schemes that can be implemented to fit the management practices of participating flocks (even if different from flock to flock).

[1] Enough ram lambs are kept to ensure that four are available for breeding from each of the rams.

[2] This assumes that ewe lambs are bred by 7 months of age; a common practice in North America.

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