Increased Sil-Ace Use Driving Commercial Ram Performance
The annual Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test results have been released and they show a significant growth in
flocks using the powerful SIL-ACE evaluation.
The Central Progeny Test – now in its 11th year – helps farmers identify rams that are superior for traits important to
individual farmer’s operations. It compares rams by running their progeny in identical environments, so differences
between progeny performance can only be due to their genetics, not their environment.
B+LNZ Genetics Manager Mark Young says this year’s results are especially noteworthy because of the significant growth
in SIL-ACE – Sheep Improvement Limited’s Advanced Central Evaluation.
“Nearly half the active SIL flocks are now using SIL-ACE – up 9 per cent on last year – as ram breeders recognise the
power and objectivity of the evaluation. With this level of usage, we estimate that 60-65 per cent of rams used on New
Zealand farms come from SIL-ACE flocks. It demonstrates that breeders are continually improving their sheep, and farmers
are therefore buying better rams every year.”
Dr Young says more flocks are also becoming connected for more traits. “This is good news if you are interested in
specific traits, such as higher health ratings for certain diseases. You simply use the SIL-ACE FlockFinder tool to
identify which flocks are recording performance in those traits as part of their genetic improvement programme.”
Full CPT results are available at www.beeflambnz.com/cpt
ends