A high performance Romney sheep is as good as any other breed

19 July 2004

That is the belief of TRIGG Romneys - six lower North Island Romney Breeders who pool their genetic resources and whose faith in the Romney breed has been vindicated by the results of the Alliance Group's Central Progeny Test.

Established in 2001, the aim of the trial was to determine the genetic links between various breeds and sheep strains to allow comparisons to be made of individual ram performance.

This year, the focus was on meat evaluation, with an emphasis on dual purpose sires, and the trial highlighted rams that were performing.

The figures for the Trigg Romneys ram Hiwinui 232/01, bred by Dave Stewart of TRIGG Romneys, were excellent in the dual purpose category and also compared favorably with some of the terminal sires.

The ram, which has been extensively used by the group, was a stand-out leader in the dual purpose days to kill ranking. It also had the eighth fastest growth rate across both the terminal and dual purpose sires.

It also topped the meat and growth index (a combination of days to Kill and meat value) for dual purpose sires, and ranked 10th when combined with terminal sires.

The ram also featured in the top 10 rankings for meat value and meat colour in the dual purpose category, proving it was a very useful type of sheep.

For TRIGG Romney, the results have reinforced members' confidence in what they are doing, Feilding breeder Terry Clare said.

Set up in 1999, the group comprises Terry and Denis Clare, Richard Brown, Dave Stewart, Rick and Rachel Pettigrew, Ross Humphrey and Peter Mickleson. TRIGG stands for Terminal Romneys for Increased Genetic Gain.

With assistance from Massey University, the group has been conducting its own sire referencing and progeny testing trials, aiming to achieve maximum growth rates from the most fertile sheep.

Particularly in the North Island, there was a need for a lamb that matured fast and could therefore be off the ewe quickly.

The Alliance Group trial was an endorsement of the structure Massey University and Prof Hugh Blair had set up, Terry Clare said.

TRIGG Romneys is optimistic about the future of the meat industry and the Romney breed. There were some very good Romney sheep in the country and a huge genetic pool is available within the breed, he said. Identification of the top genetics is the key.

TRIGG Romneys has found that fertility among the group, as well as growth is increasing and scanning figures continue to lift. Scanning to date this season has seen two of the flocks within the group's scan at 195% (mixed age ewes) and 209%.  Those involved with the group were achieving performance, without losing constitution, Mr Clare said.