In this section:
Integrated Production
Beef
Breeding values for beef cattle
Details about a project to develop multi-breed breeding values for beef cattle. The accurate description of the genetic merit of bulls and cows within and across breeds and crosses, will increase the effectiveness of both pure-breeding and cross-breeding programs.
Genetics of meat quality traits in cattle
Information about the collaborative project to study genetic aspects of traits associated with beef production as they affect meat quality and marketability so that the whole industry can increase returns.
Growth pathways for high quality beef
Details about a project to examine effects of different growth pathways and feeding regimes on meat quality of slaughter cattle of diverse genetic meat quality attributes.
Beef maternal productivity project
The project is aimed at saving the beef industry millions of dollars annually by improving the efficiency of breeding cows. The estimated savings in feed costs of using more efficient animals is in the order of $15.5 million annually.
Sheep - wool
Coat colour genes (.PDF)
Information about the genetic control of white fleece in sheep (recessive black, white spotting, dominant black and albino genes). The wool industry relies on effective sheep breeding and management and wool preparation rules to separate and identify wools containing pigmented fibres.
Dark fibre control in sheep and wool (.PDF)
Fact sheet discussing sources and control of dark fibres in wool. Quality assurance schedules for production and preparation of premium quality wool generally recognise dark fibre as a serious fault that is not currently measured in greasy wool presale.
Lifetimewool project
A national project funded and supported by Australian wool producers through Australian Wool Innovation Limited, state government agencies and farm businesses to develop a series of ewe and pasture targets, management guidelines and tools that increase productivity and profitability of the Merino sheep enterprise for regions across southern Australia.
Merino cross-breeding and objectionable fibres (.PDF)
Results of the Damara sheep project at Minnipa, providing information regarding wool contamination issues and productivity following crossbreeding of Damara fat tail rams with Merino ewes.
Towards a reliable test for dark and medullated fibre contamination and predicting impacts on processing (.PDF)
Use of Merino wools from the Damara crossbreeding study for studying processing impacts on contaminant fibres.
Wool biology and wool follicle initiation
Research on gene expression profiling to characterise the development of wool follicles and elucidating pathways controlling fibre and fleece properties.
Wool contamination - pigmented and highly medullated fibres (.PDF)
Information for wool production and wool classing on farms, groups involved in quality assurance and agencies overseeing these standards, wool marketing and exporting and wool processing.
Wool quality and metrology (html) - the value of the SA wool clip is around $270 million. This discussion outlines key organisations involved in the collective effort to improve wool quality in the State.
Sheep - meat
Evaluation of genetic markers for production traits in sheep (html)
Merinos in prime lamb production systems
Projects aiming to improve prime lamb production by gaining a greater understanding of the influence of Merino genes and their managment in prime lamb enterprises.
Pasture
Pasture utilisation
Evaluation of high technology grazing systems that explicitly target the maximal utilisation of pasture.
