Challenges of Moving to a Performance Based Flock: Experiences from the Field

Bill Shultz

FULL DISCLOSURE• I am not a scientist versed in the theory of quantitative

genetics• I am a breeder who focused for the past 50 years on

raising traditional purebred registered sheep• I faced many challenges changing to a performance

based flock•Many of my thoughts may be anecdotal, but they are

based on my experiences • I hope that they will be helpful

SIXTY YEARS…

…CAN MAKE FOR

HARD TO

BREAK HABITS

MY REASON FOR CHANGING

•Belief that purebred breeders should be the catalyst for genetic change for the commercial sheep industry•Loss of focus by our major breeds to address the needs of the commercial producer•The speed of genetic change though the use of EBVs as demonstrated by other species

MY THREE BIGGEST CHALLENGES

1. Disappointment in my results in the early years2. My better management didn’t make better

numbers! 3. It’s hard changing selection criteria!

CHALLENGE #1: Disappointing Results

I thought I had a “LAKE WO-BE-GON” flock, where: all my rams grew like weeds,

all my ewes milked like cows, and all my lambs were above average…

THE COMPUTER DOESN’T CARE…

…that I had been breeding sheep for 50 years…that I had exhibited champions from coast to coast…that I paid high dollars for Champion rams…that I was recognized as a an elite breeder

THE COMPUTER DOESN’T CARE !!!

THE NSIP COMPUTER…

…thinks that your sheep are average, until you can prove differently with quality data

THREE REASONS FOR MY DISSAPOINTMENT…

1. My sheep weren’t as good as I thought2. I was not very patient 3. I did not have any genetic links

My

BIG FAT LOSER

The sire of champions

My

LUCKY WINNER

The sire of performance

PlusGenetic links

GENETIC LINKS• The pedigree connection between sheep

•Genetic links connect your flock with other flocks

WAYS TO CREATE GENETIC LINKS

1. Buy a young Stud from an NSIP flock (most common)

2. Share a Stud with an NSIP flock (most preferred)• Use an older proven Stud• Purchase a Stud jointly • Use artificial insemination

BUY, BEG, LEASE or STEAL

Whatever it takes, find a way to exchange genetics with a participating NSIP flock

DON’T BE A BUTTHEAD, FIND A FRIEND OR TWO

•Develop a relationship with a NSIP breeder or two who share your vision and goals

•Regularly share Rams (and Ideas)

CHALLENGE #2: Better Management Doesn’t

Lead to Better Numbers

The fallacy of what I learned in 4-H: Better husbandry does NOT make a better sheep.

YOU CAN’T MANAGE FOR HIGHER EBVs

• In the show-ring philosophy, feeding and management after a lamb is born is just as important as genetics

• In the NSIP philosophy, one of the goals is to reduce the impact of management and environmental factors when comparing animals

MY AH-HA MOMENT

•That all true BREEDING VALUES are set at conception•You can’t change them

HOWEVER, MANAGEMENT STILL

MATTERS

Better management can’t change BV’s however it can improve the accuracy our EBVs ( our estimates of true breeding values)

WHY ARE ACCURACIES IMPORTANT ?

•Higher accuracies help you make better selection decisions•Which ewes to keep as replacements •Which Rams to use as Sires

•Higher accuracies mean the sheep you sell perform as advertised•Happy repeat customers

KEYS TO MORE ACCURATE EBVs

•Develop strong contemporary group strategies

•A contemporary group is a set of lambs from your farm that are all managed the same

THE CONTEMPORARY GROUP IS THE BASIS OF ALL

COMPARISONS

1)All other comparisons are made though genetic links2) No comparisons can be made between flocks or contemporary groups unless you have genetic links

My three tips for stronger

contemporaries• Shorten lambing periods

•Use at least two rams in each contemporary group

•Use a proven ram in each group

•Comparing your raw data to your neighbors

•Comparing this year’s data to last years data

DANGER!!!

DON’T INCREASE YOUR HAT SIZE

Resist the temptation to quote raw data

CHALLENGE #3: Thinking Function Not

Form

1) It’s not a beauty contest

2) If it works keep it

My old traditional way of sheep selection

BIG, THICK, HEAVY BONED SHEEP = FAST GROWING, HEAVY MUSCLED SHEEP

LET FUNCTION DESCRIBE FORM

My new standard

LAMBS THAT WEIGH MORE AND SCAN LARGER LOIN EYE MUSCLE = FAST GROWING, HEAVY MUSCLED SHEEP

LET FUNCTION DESCRIBE FORM

TRANSFORMING MY SELECTION PROCESS

THE OLD1) Identify my top lambs early and watch them grow2) After EBVs are back adjust who my top lambs are3) Make final ranking of lambs

THE NEW4) Do nothing until EBVs are back5) Select top performing lambs based on EBVs6) Adjust ranking based on appearance7) Make final ranking

•Set acceptable standards for traits such as: breed character, eyes, mouths, testicles, udders, feet and legs

•They either meet the standard or are off to slaughter

TRANSFORMING MY SELECTION PROCESS

CAN I SHOW AND BE ON NSIP?

YES, BUT…Be realistic with your expectations

WE TRIED TO DO BOTH(WE FAILED)

•We could not move fast enough with our EBVs for performance traits

•We looked at what was happening in the beef industry with commercial bull producers

SELECTION CRITERIA FOR SUFFOLKS

SHOW• FRAME SIZE• FEET AND LEG

CORRECTNESS•PROFILE, STYLE,

BALANCE•BREED TYPE

PERFORMANCE•GROWTH•MUSCLE• FEET AND LEG

CORRECTNESS

•Marked improvement in the productivity of your show flock

•Difficulty in keeping pace with strictly performance oriented flocks

WHAT TO EXPECT

LAST ARROW IN MY QUIVER

With EBVs we have the opportunity to create a new paradigm in how we view and select our sheep. If we wish to meet the demands of our ever changing industry we must be

willing to change.

IT WILL DEMAND BREAKING MANY HABITS LONG PRACTICED

Genetic selection 1974Champion Suffolk Ram Eastern Stud Ram Sale

Genetic selection 2014High indexing Suffolk ram

Questions?

Bill Shultz

bunkerhillfarm@gmail.comwww.bunkerhill-farm.com