Author:
Australian Wool Innovation Limited

Date of Publication:
2014

Publication:
Australian Wool Innovation Limited

Excerpt:
1. Objectives of sheep classing
Visual sheep classing is practised by all breeders and is essential to the quality of a woolgrower’s flock and enterprise profitability. Visual classing is quick, efficient, and cost effective for a large number of traits. It can be done at lamb marking, weaning, shearing, replacement selections and joining, although the major classing events usually take place with the annual selection of replacement ewes and rams. The objective of sheep classing is to identify and retain those sheep in a flock that will improve flock returns both now and in the future through more productive progeny. Improving productivity comes by increasing income and also reducing costs. Constant improvement is needed to overcome annual inflation increases to farm costs and competition from other enterprises. While productivity increases are the key, they should not make the animal more susceptible to disease, nor adversely affect doing ability, which leads to higher costs.

Read the rest of the article: https://www.wool.com/globalassets/start/on-farm-research-and-development/sheep-health-welfare-and-productivity/sheep-breeding/visual-classing-merino-sheep/gd0968_visual_classing_merino_sheep_lr.pdf