Pooginook Dual Purpose Merino Confirmed

The prestigious Merinos To Match trial 2006 final results saw the Pooginook blood line top the Clean and Greasy Fleece weight and body weights and Dual Purpose indicator. The Victorian trial was conducted by Victorian Department of Primary Industries.

The Trial involved commercial wethers from twenty nine Merino Bloodlines from 4 states of Australia and was evaluated at Hamilton, Stawell, Elmore and Dookie over a 4 year period. Each team consisted of 24 wethers.

Final results saw the Pooginook bloodline top:

The Clean and greasy Fleece Weights
Body Weights
Dual Purpose indicator indexed at 3.5%.

Figure 1: Indexes for Dual Purpose 3.5% Merino 7% and Merino 14% figures are deviation from the mean.

Increase Body Weigt Increase Clean Fleece Weight Decrease Fibre Diameter Increase Staple Strength	Dual Purpose 3.5% $/DSE/year High gain Moderate Maintain Maintain	Merino 7% $/DSE/year Moderate gain Moderate Moderate Maintain	Merino 14% $/DSE/year Moderate gain Maintain High gain Maintain
Akeringa	0.02	-0.59	-1.55
Belbourie	0.90	0.35	-0.53
Billandri	0.26	-0.20	-0.83
Blackford	-0.58	-0.44	-0.13
Charinga	1.28	1.30	1.36
Cottage Park	0.53	0.32	0.01
Cressbrook	-0.88	-0.16	0.87
East Loddon	0.71	0.48	0.14
Eilan Donan	-1.25	-0.76	-0.01
Glanna	-0.86	-0.39	0.30
Glendonald	0.66	0.22	-0.43
Gowandale	1.28	0.91	0.30
Gringegalgona	0.13	0.30	0.60
Hazeldean	0.75	0.59	0.33
Kerrsville	0.01	0.62	1.57
Kilfeera Park	-0.22	-0.44	-0.80
Kurra Wirra	-0.14	0.19	0.69
Middle View	-0.47	0.02	0.71
Nareeb Nareeb	0.42	0.15	-0.26
One Oak	0.67	0.70	0.72
Panorama	-0.12	-0.40	-0.89
Pooginook	1.50	0.95	0.14
Salt Creek	-1.91	-1.29	-0.41
Snowy Plain	-0.60	-0.14	0.56
The Mountain Dam	-0.82	-0.52	0.03
Toland	0.57	0.31	-0.05
Wallaloo Park	0.24	0.16	-0.03
Wanganella	-0.24	-0.54	-1.03
Woodpark	-1.28	-0.92	0.31
Range	$3.41	$2.60	$3.12

According to trial co coordinator Jane Court the financial comparisons between using different studs to meet different breeding objectives. By reporting them in $/Dry Sheep Equivalent ($/DSE) rather than per head means body weight and stocking rate is taken into account.

The dollar return implication from the results showed.

The range in returns for increasing body weight and fleece weight (dual purpose 3.5% index) was $3.41/DSE/Year. This equated to a range in improved
returns from worst to best of $10.230/year for a 3000 wether flock.
Similarly for those who aim to increase fleece weight and maintain a slightly reduced fibre diameter (using the Merino 7%index the range was $2.59/DSE/year, equating to a range of $7700/ year for a 3000 wether flock.
If wishing to significantly reduce fibre diameter and maintain fleece weight (using a Merino 14% index, the range was $3.12/DSW/year, giving a range of $9360/year for a 3000 wether flock.
The annual improved returns depending on breeding objectives for an average flock of 3000 medium Merino wethers is about $4000 to $5000 per year.

Figure 2: Based on the three selection indexes. Pooginook is the top ranking Dual Purpose Merino in the cross trial analysis

	Trial Range per DSE	Trial average return based on 3000 wethers
Dual Purpose 3.5% $/DSE/Year	$3.41	$10230
7 % Merino $/DSE/Year	$2.6	$7700
Merino 14%$/DSE/Year	$3.12	$9360

Merinos to match across site report 2006 www.dpi.vic.gov.au or 136186