Merino to Match Project
Merino to Match is a research project developed by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries and the Victorian Stud Merino Breeders Association (VSMBA). Twenty-nine Merino studs are evaluated in four sites around Victoria – Hamilton, Stawell, Elmore and Dookie. As one of the trial sites, strong links with Merino Industry are facilitated.
Staff members facilitating the Dookie site participation are Dookie Farm Manager, Frank O'Connor and Production and Farm Skills lecturer, Paddy McCarthy. Members of the Wool Industry and Department of Primary Industries staff members form part of the committee for each trial site. Local merino producer, Phil Tolland has been integral in the facilitation of the program at Dookie.
Each trial site facilitates an annual field day where wool industry members are given the opportunity to inspect Merino to Match sheep. Sheep are shorn after the field day and a range of measurements taken. Over 50 farmers as well as students from Dookie Campus attended the 2005 field day, utilising the opportunity to visually inspect wool quality traits in the randomly selected ewes and their progeny.
Sheep at each site are scientifically assessed as part of a comprehensive measurement and evaluation system. Traits assessed include greasy fleece weight, clean fleece weight, greasy colour, fibre curvature, fleece rot, fleece rot incidence, fleece rot severity, carcase measurements and wool production/dse (dry sheep equivalent).
Differences recorded between studs at the various sites are evaluated to see if they are biologically meaningful or simply due to chance. Minimal Significant Difference (MSD) is given for each trait. This project evaluates stud sheep sires for traits that are to vital to current producers and the future of the Australian Merino Wool Industry.
The Merino to Match project commenced at Dookie Campus in October 2003 with the intake of 2002-drop wether lambs. Studs selected to participate in the trial were both popular in Dookie and from a variety of regions. Sheep were sourced from Victoria , New South Wales and South Australia . Stud sires represented at the Dookie College site include: The Mountain Dam, Kilfeera Park , Eilan Donan, Kurra Wirra, East Loddon , Snowy Plains, Hazeldean, Cottage Park , Pooginook, Tolland and a Link group .
Eight sheep were randomly drafted and selected from three properties nominated by selected stud sire owners to result in 24 sheep representing each stud team. Wethers are bred from a syndicate mating or selected equally from two or more single sire groups. Trial sites are linked by wethers from a common flock distributed at all sites. Each site also has one stud team in common with another site. These randomly selected sheep, known as the Link Group are used as an unidentified control group.
Results from each trial group site are published each year on the Merino to Match website.
Whilst 2005 marked the end of the Merino to Match trial, Dookie Campus will be running the trial independently for 2006. The thirteen groups of sheep, showcasing genetics of 13 studs will be analysed for a third year.