Understanding

Understanding LAMBPLAN
LAMBPLAN
Maternal ASBVs
Maternal ASBVs
Rams with a more Rams
Rams withwith more
more positive
positive Worm egg count
positive weaning ASBVs
ASBVs forforpost
post weaning
weaning
Rams
Rams withwithmore
morepositive
positive
Rams
Rams with
witha higher
a higher (WEC) ASBVs estimate
weight (WWT) will, weight
weight (PWT)
(PWT) produce
produce
ASBVs
ASBVs forfor
eyeeye
muscle
muscle
clean
clean
fleece
fleeceweight
weight an animal’s genetic
on average, produce lambs
lambs thatthatgrow
grow quicker
quicker
depth
depth (EMD)
(EMD) produce
produce
(CFW)
(CFW) ASBV
ASBV willwill potential for resisting
lambs that grow andand reach
reach target
target weights
weights
lambs
lambs thatthathave
have a higher
a higher
produce
produce progeny
progeny that
thatcutcut worm burdens. Lower
quicker to weaning. in ina shorter
a shorter time.
time.ThisThis
lean
leanmeat
meat yield.
yield.
This
This
more
more wool.
wool.This
Thisramram willwill WEC ASBVs are
This ram will produce ram ram willwill
produce
produce lambs
lambs
ramram willwill
produce
produce lambs
lambs
produce
produce progeny
progeny that,
that, desirable. This ram
lambs that are, on thatthat
are,are,onon average,
average,
that
that
havehave a 0.2mm
a 0.2mm
onon
average,
average, cutcut2.5%
2.5% will, on average, sire
average, 0.4kg heavier 1.25kg
1.25kg heavier
heavier than
thanaa
deeper
deeper eyeeyemuscle
muscle than
than
more
morewool
wool than
thana ram
a ram progeny that have 10%
than a ram with a 0 ram ramwithwitha0 a ASBV
0 ASBV forfor
a ram
a ram withwith
a0a EMD
0 EMD
with
withanan
ASBV
ASBV of of
0. 0. fewer eggs/gram than
ASBV for WWT. PWT.PWT.
ASBV.
ASBV. a ram with an ASBV
of 0.

WWT
WWT MWT
MWT PWT
PWT FAT
FAT EMD
EMD NLW
NLW CFW
CFW SCSC WEC
WEC
Trait INDEX
INDEX
(kg)
(kg) (kg)
(kg) (kg)
(kg) (mm)
(mm) (mm)
(mm) (%)
(%) (%)
(%) (cm)
(cm) (%)
(%)
ASBV 0.8
0.8 1.0
1.0 2.5
2.5 -0.4
-0.4 0.4
0.4 44 55 0.6
0.6 -10
-10
105.6
105.6
Acc 5151 5353 6161 4545 3838 3333 3737 4444 3737

Rams
Rams with
withmore
more Rams with a more An index is a guide to
positive
positiveASBVs
ASBVs forfor negative ASBV for fat Rams
Rams withwith
a more
a more Rams
Rams with
withhigher
higher the value of a ram for a
maternal
maternal weaning
weaning will produce lambs positive
positive number
number of of scrotal
scrotal
circumference
circumference particular market. Rams
weight
weight(MWT)
(MWT) willwill that are leaner, at the lambs
lambs weaned
weaned (NLW)
(NLW) (SC)
(SC)ASBVs
ASBVs willwill
siresire with higher indexes will
produce
produce daughters
daughters same weight. This ASBV ASBV willwill
siresire
daughters
daughters daughters
daughters that
that
are,
are,onon produce lambs that
which
whichwillwill
weanwean ram will produce that
that
wean
wean a higher
a higher average,
average,more
morefertile.
fertile. are more suited to that
heavier
heavierlambs.
lambs.This This lambs that are, on percentage
percentage of of
lambs.
lambs. particular breeding
ASBV
ASBV reflects
reflectsaa average, 0.2mm leaner This Thisram
ram withwith
anan ASBV
ASBV objective. In many
combination
combination of of
thethe at the GR site when of of 4 will
4 will
sire
sire
daughters
daughters cases the indexes used
daughter’s
daughter’s ability
ability
to to compared to a ram which, which, onon average,
average, willwill for maternal breeds are
milk
milk
and
and provide
provide with a FAT ASBV of 0. wean wean 2% 2% more
more lambs.
lambs. in $ terms.
a better
a better
maternal
maternal
environment.
environment.

• An ASBV of 0 is the average of the 1990 drop.

• Note: A useful rule of thumb for converting ram ASBVs into lamb production differences is to simply halve the ASBV (as rams
contribute half the genetics of the lamb).
• Accuracy - published as a percentage, is a reflection of the amount of effective information that is available to calculate the
ASBV. All ASBVs are now published with accuracies. The higher the percentage, the closer the ASBV is to the true breeding value
of the animal. Breeding values without accuracies are Flock Breeding Values (FBVs) and can only be compared within the flock.

For more information contact Sheep Genetics

Ph: 02 6773 2948 Fax: 02 6773 2707
info@sheepgenetics.org.au www.sheepgenetics.org.au
Sheep Genetics is a joint program of Meat & Livestock Australia Limited ABN 39 081 678 364
and Australian Wool Innovation Limited ABN 12 095 165 558