Seven years ago, NZM initiated the fine-wool Central Progeny Test, which is a key source of the data required to develop an estimated breeding value (EBV) for footrot.

Since 2013, the fine-wool industry has built a footrot breeding value (BV) database containing 32,000 sheep with reportable breeding values. In the 2018 / 19 sale season there were 4,500 (2017-born) stud ram hoggets in the industry with a footrot BV available.

The footrot project has laid a foundation for the New Zealand fine-wool industry to have a commercially available breeding value for footrot susceptibility. We aim to have the footrot BV available publicly as an ASBV, generated though Sheep Genetics’ ‘MERINOSELECT’ analysis in early 2020.

Click here for a summary.