Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association chief executive officer Ben Swain inspecting sheep at the Dohne Sire Evaluation Trial field day at Coonoong Station. Image ADBA
A comprehensive sire evaluation trial rated as “gold standard” has provided evidence-based data on the Dohne breed’s profitable wool, carcase, reproduction and eating quality traits.
Evaluated under the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA), the three-year Dohne trial benchmarked 12 Dohne sires and two Merino link sires across not only wool and carcase traits but also included new traits of udder and teat size, kilograms of lambs weaned per ewe joined, and intramuscular fat as a component of eating quality.
The sire evaluation was the first undertaken by the Australian Dohne Breeders Association (ADBA) with funding support received from Australian Wool Innovation, Sheep Genetics, Meat and Livestock Australia and the University of New England.
The site was one of 11 active Merino sire evaluation sites located across Australia and compares the breeding performance of a sire by evaluating his progeny and their expressed traits relative to the progeny of other sires.
The trial was hosted by the Holt family, Coonong Station, Urana, NSW, with 1300 2017-drop Dohne commercial ewes selected for artificial joining
The ewes averaged 20.6 micron, had an average fleece weight of 6kg, were moderate framed and had reproduction rates of 110 per cent lambs weaned.
Two Poll Merino rams were used as link sires (Anderson Poll 160729 and Mumblebone 130850), alongside a Dohne link sire (Glen Holme 141077) and Dohne sires Calga 173301, Chirniminup Dohne 171069, Glen Holme 172565, Glenaroua 152131, Harewood 173019, Harold Park North 170116, Kardinia 181917, Kintail Park 132345, Macquarie Dohne 162966, Stirling Dohne 180040 and Ulooloo Dohne 170164.
The Dohne link sire was also in the Balmoral Merino Lifetime Productivity trial.
The ewe and wether progeny were shorn and wool traits measured, as well as eye muscle depth, fat and body weight recorded. The wether progeny were grain finished in a feedlot and processed at Gundagai Meat Processors, with carcases evaluated for lean meat yield, eye muscle depth, intramuscular fat, carcase weight, rib fat and shearforce (tenderness).
Ewe progeny were first measured as yearlings for yield, fibre diameter, coefficient of variation, fibre diameter standard deviation, curvature, comfort factor, staple strength and staple length. Visual classing was on fleece rot, wool colour, wool character, dust penetration, staple structure, face cover, jaw, legs/feet, dag and classer’s visual grade.
Off shears traits of body wrinkle, neck wrinkle, breech cover, breech wrinkle, butt shape and back/shoulders were collated.
The 2021 drop ewes were taken through to adult assessments in 2023 and 2024 with reproductive performance recording, and the trial finished after weaning in 2024.
ADBA Coonong Sire Evaluation convenor Don Mills said the Coonong trial site added an important geographical sheep zone evaluation area to the AMSEA portfolio.
“The Australian Dohne Breeders Association has always maintained a focus on measured trait performance coupled with visual assessment for breed improvement,” Mr Mills said.
“Measured trait data is analysed by Sheep Genetics and reported as Within Flock Breeding Values. Dohne sires have always and will continue to be represented in AMSEA sites across the country in a range of environments.”
Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association chief executive officer Ben Swain rated the trial as a “gold standard” for sire evaluation, with rams drawn from around the nation and progeny assessed for all the regular traits as well as reproduction and meat-eating quality. The use of genomics further increased the quality of the results.
“It is more advanced than most other Merino sire evaluation trials, and it is a real credit to the breed showing the breeders dedication to producing the best animals they can,” Mr Swain said.
He said Dohne rams had participated in Merino sire evaluation trials since it first began, but this trial was the first to use pure Dohne ewes and evaluate pure Dohne progeny.
“The trial benchmarked 12 leading Dohne sires against two of the leading Merino rams in a wool and carcase production system. An important outcome was the data going into both the MerinoSelect and Dohne analysis at Sheep Genetics, allowing us to understand how the breeds relate to each other,” Mr Swain said.
“The trial confirmed Dohne’s are a good carcase and reproduction animal, and they do those two traits well. The Merinos were in front for fleece weight and some of the wool characteristics but when it came to reproduction and other carcase traits, the Dohne’s showed their merit.
“If you want a sheep that produces lots of lambs with a good carcase, the Dohne does that really well and it was backed up in this trial. They are good eating, produce lots of lambs and a quick growing carcase so they are quite the animal when it comes to a dual-purpose production system.
“If you are a Merino producer chasing lambs, carcase and eating quality, Dohnes are a real option and this trial shows that.”
Mr Swain said the new trait of teat and udder scoring was included in the trial to evaluate teat size, teat placement and udder depth, which have a significant impact on lamb survival and weaning weight.
“Ewes with negative scores in those traits rear less lambs and weaning weights are impacted – we look for a score three on udders and teats.
“The Dohnes consistently out performed the Merinos in respect of getting lambs through to weaning and in the weight of those lambs.”
Across the AMSEA Indexes, Kardinia 181917 was a trait leader for the Dual Purpose Plus, Merino Production Plus and Wool Production Plus indexes and ranked highly on the Dohne Plus.
“It shows the ram is well rounded and has positive traits from fibre diameter through to reproduction, carcase and also performed well visually with the highest percentage of tops and least percentage of culls.” Mr Swain said.
“This shows the balance all breeders need to look for – rams that measure and class well.”
Site coordinator Jim Meckiff, JM Livestock, Cootamundra, said the commercially relevant trial was unique as it evaluated reproduction, carcase traits and meat-eating quality along with wool quality traits under a common environment and management system.
“Very rarely do we get the opportunity to see sheep classed four times – post weaning weight, yearling, hogget and adult. Some of those sires have really delivered on the tops year in year out – the progeny of the top-ranking ram were big sheep with clean, stylish wool with no fleece rot,” Mr Meckiff said.
“High tops and less culls are important and means the engine room of a commercial flock is cutting a good looking stylish wool, they are getting pregnant, producing lambs and staying in the flock, delivering production and profitability.
Mr Meckiff said trial results showed Dohnes have less breech wrinkle at marking time and the trait remained with them for life.
“Breech wrinkle is important if a producer is aiming for a non-mulesed flock and reduced breech fly strike incidence. We know people are using Dohnes across Merinos to increase growth and reduce breech wrinkle – it is a big positive for the Dohne breed.
“As dual-purpose sheep, the Dohnes cut us pretty handsome wool and produce good growthy lambs – it’s a nice combination in today’s market to have a wool that pays its way. Dohnes are not trying to compete with Merinos, but they do have a productive fleece.
“At three to three-and-a-half years of age, the Dohne ewe progeny were 18.9 micron and cutting 2.8kg clean.
“In growth rate there was no surprises – if you want fat, muscle and carcase, or early growth get after some of these Dohne sires as they have it in spades.”
The AMSEA report on the Dohne Sire Evaluation Trial is available on www.merinosupersires.com.au
-Kim Woods