The LIC subsidiary set up only two years ago to apply modern breeding technology in the deer industry has already produced animals of higher genetic merit than any of the stags purchased at auction in January last year.
Geneticist Jake Chardon says the company is delighted with the outcome. “The progeny test has not only enabled us to properly rank the stags we purchased, but we now have yearling hinds and stags of even higher genetic merit, and they represent a variety of different bloodlines so we have excellent genetic diversity”.
Chardon explains that farmers can ride on the back of the company’s investment, achieving the same rate of genetic gain while mating only a proportion of their hinds to AI. “The leverage from a little AI means a farmer can generate excellent replacement hinds as well as their own farm-bred sire stags. The best of the second generation animals will have higher BVs than their grandsires. This means you can expect stag fawns in 2008 that are better than our current AI stag team".
“This is because 75% of the genes in those second generation animals are sourced from elite proven stock, and natural variation means that the best of them will be better than their parents. This is not wishful thinking, this is a fact”.
Deer Improvement General Manager Bruce McGregor reports a positive response from farmers. “They’ve been crying out for objective genetic evaluation for years and are really excited about the prospect of being able to make such rapid progress. Some expect the AI to be a big job but they only have to do it once to realise why it’s already routine on many farms”.
| Copyright 2010 Deer Improvement