Breeding better Merinos, one lamb at a time

SARDI’s Turretfield Research Centre is contributing to a national program that helps Merino breeders evaluate elite sires and make data-driven breeding decisions.

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Project background

The Merino Sire Evaluation (MSE) program gives ram breeders independent, standardised data to assess the genetic merit of their sires. The Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA) manages the program nationally, which operates across nine sites in Australia.

Each site conducts structured progeny tests under consistent protocols. SARDI’s Turretfield Research Centre has run the South Australian arm of the program since 2023. Each site compares the performance of a sire’s offspring to that of other sires—including link sires—to reduce the impact of environmental and seasonal variation. This approach improves the accuracy of breeding value estimates and supports more confident, data-driven selection.

The program evaluates a broad range of traits, including wool quality, growth, reproduction, and other commercial indicators valued by both stud and commercial breeders.

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Objectives

South Australia’s sheep industries—including meat, wool and skins—generate around $1.5 billion in revenue annually and produce over 56 million kilograms of wool. This project supports genetic improvement in the industry by:

• evaluating Merino sires for traits linked to productivity and commercial value
• improving sire selection by comparing offspring performance under standardised test conditions
• using artificial insemination to ensure consistent and reliable progeny testing
• monitoring traits like wool quality, growth, and reproductive performance
• contributing South Australian data to the national Merino Sire Evaluation program.

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Research approach

The project spans 2 breeding seasons and involves breeding, tracking, and evaluating sheep from conception through to early adulthood.

SARDI researchers select top-quality Merino sires and use artificial insemination to breed ewes. Just one millilitre of semen can produce around 75 insemination doses, which are delivered directly into the uterus to maximise reproductive success.

Electronic identification (eID) tags allow researchers to track each ewe and her progeny throughout the project.

Researchers closely monitor the ewes through lambing and evaluate their progeny over a two-year period to assess:

• reproductive success and birth rates
• optimised confirmation traits (like pastern angle, shoulder and back soundness)
• pathogen and pest resistance
• wool growth and quality (including fibre diameter, length and pigmentation)
• meat quality.

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Outcomes

The national MSE program allows breeders to assess the performance of leading genetics within their own environment and ewe base.

For producers seeking to change bloodline or production type, the program offers an opportunity to identify sires that perform well under local conditions. For others, it provides a benchmark against which to compare their own genetics.

The program exposes breeders to new technologies, research findings, and industry leaders. This, in turn, supports innovation, informed decision-making, and long-term profitability.

Many breeders value the networking and knowledge-sharing at Turretfield as highly as the genetic outcomes, citing it as a key reason for participating in the program.