Listing their catalogue via the RamSelect Plus app has showcased the value of early adoption of new breeding technologies and opened new markets for the students at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School.
Based in Tamworth NSW, the school’s agriculture subject offering includes a Year 9 and 10 ‘animal management course’, in which students take on the tasks associated with running the Farrer White Suffolk stud.
In delivering the course stud manager Darren Smith has deliberately introduced the students to the latest in flock management and breeding technologies, including the use of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), DNA testing, optimising joining decisions using MateSel and now marketing via the RamSelect Plus app.
The result of this early-adoption strategy has been the breeding of rams now ranked at the very top of White Suffolk breed for the new Lamb Eating Quality index (LEQ).
“We’ve been focussed on high performance genetics and the use of measurement ever since we started back in 1984,” Mr Smith said. “We’re trying to incorporate as much technology as we can in the program, be that artificial insemination, embryo transfer, Superwhites, DNA testing, eID or the RamSelect app – we will use all the programs we possible can to enhance the stud and to enhance the learning of the students.
“I keep looking out for the next thing to bring in because the students are pretty quick at picking up on new technology and putting it to use.”
The DNA tests and the RamSelect Plus app used by Farrer were developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC). The Sheep CRC operates as part of the Federal Department of Industry, Innovation and Science’s CRC program and is a collaboration of more than 40 organisations from across industry, government and the commercial sector, and includes producer groups, farm advisers, universities and research organisations, meat processors and retailers.