NITHDALE ROMNEYS

In the early 1980s a number of twin bearing ewes were screened from the commercial flock at Nithdale and rams primarily from the North Island, from breeders who were part of the New Zealand Romney Development Group, were put across these ewes. Breeding an easy care sheep that could lamb unassisted was the initial focus.

NEWSFLASH!!!

Nithdale Purchases Awareka Romney Stud

In February 2008 we purchased Awareka Romneys owned by Murray and Loraine Rohloff. We have been closely linked with Awareka Romneys since we joined the Southern Romney Development Group in 1992 using common rams over those years. Genetically our two flocks are very similar and our breeding objectives over that time have been almost identical with a focus on breeding worm resistance into the sheep while increasing performance. Since 2005 we have both been breeding the MyoMAX gene into the sheep in order to increase meat yield. We saw this as an opportunity to expand our existing stud operation with a point of difference with most other Romney studs being 18 years of worm resistance selection and more recently the introduction of the MyoMAX gene into the breed.

Nithdale Romneys — SIL Flock 2629

History

Up until the late 1970s registered Romneys from around Southland were being used over Nithdale ewes. However the ewes were having lambing difficulties and problems with large udders and poor teat placement. As Nithdale had a large commercial flock it was decided to start a stud primarily for supplying rams for the commercial flock. In the early 1980s a number of twin bearing ewes were screened from the commercial flock at Nithdale and rams primarily from the North Island, from breeders who were part of the New Zealand Romney Development Group, were put across these ewes. Easy care and high performance were the main objectives right from the start. Performance recording (lambing survival, weaning weight, autumn weight and fleece weight) became an integral part of the stud. Rams were used over the commercial flock with surplus rams being sold. In 1992 we joined the Southern Romney Development Group and began recording faecal egg counts as part of the AgResearch WormFEC program.

Current Breeding Objectives

Goal is to breed a low cost maternal sheep that can handle a tough environment and maximise output of quality meat and wool.

We have been selecting rams and ewes to retain on the dual purpose overall (DPO) index including WormFEC produced by Sheep Improvement Limited (National Sheep Database). All reports now are generated from across flock reports within the Southern Romney Development group. Traits recorded are: number of lambs born, survival, weaning weight, live weight at 6 months, meat scanning (A, B & C measurements) in the ram lambs, faecal egg counts (twice) in the ram lambs,dag score and breach bareness score, fleece weight at 12 months,mating weights of both 2th and mixed aged ewes.

To learn more about the Southern Romney Development Group, visit the website.

Worm Resistance

Over the last few years there has been an increasing awareness of drench resistance and the associated problems faced by sheep farmers. These problems are only going to get worse. We see breeding sheep for resistance to internal parasites as the long term solution to drench resistance and a dependance on animal health products. We have been part of the WormFEC program for 18 years and have made significant progress in reducing faecal egg counts. The Adult FEC BVs have reduced by a third over that period of time. We don't drench ewes, we have reduced the number of drenches our lambs are receiving and the age at which the lambs are showing an immunity to internal parasites is getting younger. We can't throw away the drench gun yet but we are heading in the right direction. In the ACE trait leader list for WormFEC (April 2010) we have one ram ranked 2nd for worm resistance and a total of 20 in the top 100 - more than any other stud in New Zealand.

MyoMax Gene

Since 2005 there has been a blood test available for the MyoMAX gene, which is the muscling gene predominate in the Texel breed. The presence of the gene is either as a double or single copy or not present. Trials have shown that an animal with two copies of the gene has approximately 10% more lean meat on its carcase than an animal that has no copies. We began crossing some of our Romneys with Texels that had two copies of the gene when the blood test was first available in order to increase the meat yield in our Romneys. With each cross we are able to identify those sheep carrying the gene while crossing each generation back to the Romney. Our objective is to breed a sheep that is 7/8 — 15/16 Romney with two copies of the Myomax gene. In other words a sheep that effectively has the all the traits we have been breeding for in the Romney with the meat traits of the Texels. More than half our ewes to date have at least one or two copies of the gene.

To learn more about the MyoMax gene download the

 MyoMAX Info Sheet NZ:

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Nithdale 519/06
100% Romney, DPO index of 2651 in latest SRDG across flock analysis. Top ranked sire in SRDG. Ranks 3rd in the ACE trait leader list (June 2010) for reproduction, 8th in ACE Dual Purpose list (June 2010). Exceptional for fertility with a good survival index.

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Nithdale 225/07
37.5% Texel, single copy of MyoMAX gene. Exceptional for worm resistance (2nd on ACE trait leader (June 2010) list for WormFEC).

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Nithdale 247/08
75% Romney, 1 copy of MyoMAX gene, DPO index of 2092 in latest across flock analysis. Used as a hogget last year. Forth ranked sire in SRDG.

 
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 Nithdale 196/07
100% Romney, DPO index of 1819 in latest SRDG across flock analysis. Sixth ranked sire in SRDG.

 
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 Nithdale 36/07
¾ Romney - double copy MyoMAX gene – Ranks 22nd on ACE Terminal Sire list - Feb 2010, (TS index of 1648, TSG 645 & TSM 912). Two other Romneys Nithdale 226/05 & 336/07 also in the top 200 ACE Terminal Sire list (Feb 2010). Shows the meat traits from the MyoMAX gene coming through into the Romneys.