It is all about the interactions

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Sheep GEMS News Brief 2 – May 2024 As a reminder, GEMS stands for Genetics, Environment, Management and Society. In Sheep GEMS we are interested in the interactions among these elements of a production system. As our starting point, we focused on the first three bits, namely Genetics, Environment and Management. An initial study with Katahdin sheep shows how these elements work together. We based genetics on body weights, fecal egg counts, and FAMACHA scores recorded at around 90 days of age in over 3,500 Katahdin lambs from 17 flocks participating in the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP). FAMACHA scores…

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What is Sheep GEMS?

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Sheep GEMS News Brief 1 – April 2024 GEMS stands for Genetics, Environment, Management and Society, which are four pillars of our sheep industry. Why so? In the U.S., distinct breed-types are spread across climatically diverse regions and management systems. Breeding robust sheep that perform well under these conditions is therefore critical to the industry’s long-term sustainability. Currently, however, traits indicative of robustness and climatic resilience are largely absent in our genetic evaluation. Our ambition in Sheep GEMS is to remedy that shortfall. Sheep GEMS has been underway for about two years, with exciting results generated. For those findings to…

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NSIP Data Entry – Dead At Birth (DAB)

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Not all lambs make it all the way from conception to birth. On occasion we see a litter where some are full term healthy lambs, but there is also a mummy or a partially formed lamb. Deciding how to enter data in these cases can be confusing. But here are some guidelines to help you decide how to enter these lambs.  Keep in mind that the birth type of a lamb is used in adjustments for birth weight. A single lamb that weighs 10 pounds will end up with a lower birth weight EBV than a triplet lamb with a…

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The Nuts and Bolts of EBVs

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EBVs are tools that producers can use to select breeding animals that will help them meet flock goals for specific traits such as growth, milk, reproduction, parasite resistance and carcass quality. It is important to understand that selecting for extremes in one trait will often put negative selection pressure on other traits of interest. Often, animals with extremely high EBVs in certain traits will require additional nutritional support or better management to perform successfully at that level. In addition, some traits are antagonistic to other traits, meaning that if you select strongly for one trait you may be inadvertently reversing…

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Buying Parasite Resistance: considerations for greater success

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Often producers interested in adding genetics for parasite resistance to their flock are faced with deciphering the fecal egg count (FEC) EBVs listed on a stall card or catalog at an auction (online or in person). Is that enough information to identify a parasite resistant animal? In my experience, no. Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) provide a wonderful tool to predict animal performance, but when it comes to parasite resistance, the stated EBV often doesn't provide the whole answer. More than other traits, FEC EBVs can be subject to some pretty big changes over time. Partly that's because there is such…

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Understanding “Number of Lambs Weaned” (NLW) Estimated Breeding Values

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We've been members of NSIP since 2006 and I must confess that I've never really understood what all went into the calculation of "Number of Lambs Weaned", let alone Genomically-enhanced Estimated Breeding Values (GEBV) for NLW. Seems most of my ewes had NLW GEBV that were about the same as their NLB GEBV, with a few exceptions. Some were a little lower and some were a little higher, and since they are correlated, I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to these slight differences until I bought a ram last year with a NLB of 0.04 and a NLW…

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Impact of NSIP Status on Ram Value

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In 2022, the Southwest Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center hosted its 10th ram test and sale. Over the years, the program has developed a strong reputation for the development and identification of superior rams for growth and parasite resistance in a forage-based environment. Historically, the test has included rams from NSIP flocks and some rams from flocks not enrolled in NSIP (non-NSIP). The 2022 test and sale data were analyzed to explore the impact of NSIP enrollment on ram performance and value in the program. The 2022 test included 119 rams from 10 states. Rams were delivered in late…

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Profile: Dr. Scott Bowdridge

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This past summer, Dr. Scott Bowdridge, Associate Professor of Food Animal Production, West Virginia University, opened our minds to his exciting research identifying immune mechanisms in sheep to eliminate parasitic infections. At the 2022 Eastern Alliance for Production Katahdins (EAPK) symposium he discussed his data that links low FEC EBVs (Fecal Egg Count Estimated Breeding Values) with an overall increase in disease resistance. Dr. Bowdridge has diverse experiences working as a sheep producer, geneticist and now as an immunologist. Through the years, he has developed many relationships with other scientists in the field. Together their groundbreaking research is advancing the…

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Sheep GEMS Update

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Sheep GEMS is roaring ahead, with the strong commitment by Katahdin breeders particularly welcomed. With the help of John Bare, Michelle Canfield, Tom Hodgman, and Jim Morgan—members of a Project Advisory Group—twenty-six Katahdin flocks have voiced their interest to participate in this project. A key element of Sheep GEMS is collecting performance records in NSIP-member flocks that reflect the productive efficiency, robustness, and climatic resilience of their sheep. These include udder health, lamb survival, ewe longevity, and parasite resistance. Based on the outcome of a pilot study underway, we also are developing a measure of coat shedding in Katahdins that…

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How Does Selection for Parasite Resistance in Katahdin Sheep Affect Other Important Traits?

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Katahdin producers who use NSIP estimated breeding values (EBV) to make selection decisions on replacements for the home flock or for sale often select for more than one trait at a time. In fact, most breeders search for the perfect animal with balanced EBVs, or those that excel in all traits of interest. But what happens when two or more traits are used in selection? Can forward progress be made on both traits? Maybe. Parasite resistance has been selected for in several flocks with an estimated heritability of 0.19 for weaning fecal egg count (WFEC), and 0.24 for post-weaning fecal…

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