Frankfurt Thinktank

The first of a series of three Think tank meetings held by the Dohne Merino breed society was held on April 15 at Frankfort, Free State, with good results for the Dohne industry. The total of 33 inspectors, Dohne Merino flock breeders and stud farmers who attended the event, thoroughly reflected on aspects that contribute to the improvement and expansion of the breed. Love for the breed and not own financial gain should be the driving force behind the initiative.

It was been reaffirmed that the breed will adhere to the main objective of generating at least 75% of flock income from meat versus 25% income from wool. It is essential that the breed’s adaptability to extensive commercial farming conditions is strengthened by, among other things, improving walking ability.

During the debate on the balance between meat production and wool production, it was mentioned, among other things, that wool production per animal should not be further increased, but that more attention should be paid to improving the quality of wool. Opinions included that reproduction and growth rate deserves more attention than wool characteristics during selection. Opinions have suggested that factors such as crypto and losses by vermin and theft, severely limits farmers’ ability to maintain high weaning rates. Everyone agreed that increasing reproduction rates without incurring additional input costs was the biggest profit driver at increasing meat production while improving meat yield percentage and feed conversion are of increasing importance when it comes to intensification.

Ram prices were seriously debated. One opinion was that good rams that increase commercial income can be worth as much as 10 young ewes. Another opinion was that rams at the national auction were disproportionately expensive, and sent the wrong message to flock farmers. Flock rams should be provided in large numbers at between R5000 and R7000. It has also been mentioned that excessively high ram prices are associated with good management and nutrition rather than actual genetic merit. More comments included that it is essential to provide functional and not overfed rams to the industry. Symptoms, such as purchased rams that remain infertile for long periods, cause hazard lights to flicker. In this regard, it has been mentioned that the tapping of semen (electric stimulation) before auctions can be a contributing factor to temporary infertility. The meeting agreed that Dohne breeders should do everything in their power to provide quality rams whose fertility has been certified. It was recommended that councilor Greyling further investigate practices that affect fertility of rams before and after auctions and make recommendations to the council on this and also link it to realistic time frames. A further recommendation was that it be made compulsory for rams be bled before auctions to test for Brucella Ovis.

As far as evaluation procedures are concerned, it was decided that good recording procedures are in place and that recording must be strictly adhered to in order to protect the integrity of the breed at all costs. Particular attention should be paid to the age at which weaning weights are recorded as well as the prescribed wool growth period.

Calculation of general merit values ​​(GM / AM) and indices thereof (SIP), was discussed in depth. Methods for rearranging data and emphasizing growth rate during classification and selection were discussed and adopted.

Improvements made by Logix regarding more accurate breeding value evaluations were accepted in the spirit that the necessary scientific reasoning took place. The more readily availability of inbreeding coefficients from Logix for each registered Dohne Merino, may also contribute to better control of inbred matings and avoidance of the possible loss of genetic variation.

The important role that technical field officials play in the selection of registered animals and marketing of the breed was emphasized. Visual inspection of animals requires that inspectors across the country maintain uniform standards. Well-trained field personnel are indispensable to ensure the functionality of Dohne Merinos in combination with efficient production through measurements. After debating how information could be better used, it was concluded that homework should be done before inspection of rams and when selecting rams for auctioneering and at auctions with inspectors, to make better decisions. The opinion was also that specialized advice on selection decisions is at a higher level than can be expected from ordinary technical field officials. It was therefore suggested that brokerage firms consider appointing senior technical advisers across the country, who can provide the necessary advice on the effective use of increasingly sophisticated methods.Examples of problems with creeping belly (national auction), deviant type, fleece rot, hocks, and overfeeding were discussed so that assessment standards can be maintained more consistently. Comments included that the color of wool should be improved to limit fleece rot. The meeting recommended that breed standards be reviewed and cut-off points, especially with regard to characteristics that differ with degree of intensity, be better defined.

The Think tank concluded with a meal during which further discussions took place between all those present. Many thanks to Jaco Zaaiman for his arrangements.

Die eerste van ‘n reeks van drie bosberade wat deur die Dohne Merino telersgenootskap gehou word, het op 15 April te Frankfort, Vrystaat, met goeie gevolge vir die Dohne bedryf afgeloop.   Die totaal van 33 inspekteurs, Dohne Merino kuddetelers en stoetboere wat die geleentheid bygewoon het, het deeglik besin oor aspekte wat bydra tot verbetering en uitbouing van die ras.  Liefde vir die ras en nie eie finansiële gewin, behoort die dryfveer te wees.

Dit is herbevestig dat die ras sal hou by die hoofdoelwit om minstens 75 % van kudde-inkomste uit vleis teenoor 25 % inkomste uit wol te genereer.  Dit is noodsaaklik dat die ras se aanpasbaarheid by ekstensiewe kommersiële boerderytoestande versterk word deur ondermeer loopvermoë te verbeter.

Tydens die debat oor die balans tussen vleisproduksie en wolproduksie, is ondermeer genoem dat wolproduksie per dier nie verder verhoog behoort te word nie, maar dat meer aandag aan verbetering van die gehalte van wol geskenk behoort te word.   Menings het ingesluit dat reproduksie en groeitempo meer aandag as wolkenmerke verdien tydens seleksie.  Menings het ingesluit dat faktore soos kripto en verliese deur ongediertes en diefstal, boere se vermoë om hoë speenpersentasies te handhaaf, ernstig beperk.  Almal was dit eens dat verhoging van reproduksietempo sonder om addisionele insetkoste aan te gaan, die grootste winsdrywer is om vleisproduksie te verhoog terwyl die verbetering van uitslagpersentasie en voeromset van toenemende belang is, wanneer intensifikasie ter sprake is.

Rampryse is baie ernstig gedebatteer.  Dit is gemeld dat goeie ramme wat kommersiële inkomste verhoog, soveel as 10 jong ooitjies werd kan wees.  Nog ‘n mening was dat ramme op die nasionale veiling, buite verhouding duur is, en ‘n verkeerde boodskap na kuddeboere uitstuur.  Kudde-ramme behoort in groot hoeveelhede teen tussen R5000 en R7000 voorsien te word.   Dit is ook gemeld dat uitspattige hoë rampryse verband hou met goeie bestuur en voeding eerder as werklike genetiese meriete.   Kommentaar het ingesluit dat dit noodsaaklik is om funksionele en nie oorvoerde ramme aan die bedryf te voorsien.  Simptome, soos aangekoopte ramme wat vir lang periodes onvrugbaar bly, laat gevaarligte flikker.  In die verband is ook gemeld dat die tap van saad voor veilings ‘n bydraende faktor tot tydelike onvrugbaarheid kan wees.   Die vergadering was dit eens dat Dohne boere alles in hulle vermoë behoort te doen om gehalte ramme waarvan die vrugbaarheid sertifiseer is te voorsien.   Die aanbeveling is gemaak dat raadslid Greyling praktyke wat vrugbaarheid van ramme  voor en na veilings verder sal ondersoek en aanbevelings aan die raad maak hieroor en dit ook koppel aan realistiese tydsverlope.  ‘n Verdere aanbeveling was dat ramme voor veilings verpligtend gebloei word om vir Brucella ovis te toets.

Wat evaluasie prosedures betref, is besluit dat goeie aantekeningsprosedures in plek is en dat aantekening stiptelik nagekom moet word om die integriteit van die ras ten alle koste te beskerm.   Daar moet veral gehou word by die ouderdom waarop speengewigte aangeteken word en die voorgeskrewe wolgroeiperiode.

Berekening van algemene meriete waardes (GM/AM) en indekse daarvan (SIP), is in diepte bespreek.  Metodes om data te herrangskik en groeitempo te beklemtoon tydens klassering en seleksie is bespreek en aanvaar.

Verbeterings wat Logix aangebring het ten opsigte van teeltwaarde-evaluasies, is aanvaar in die gees dat die nodige wetenskaplike beredenering plaasgevind het.  Die meer geredelike beskikbaarheid van inteeltkoeffisiënte vanaf Logix vir elke geregistreerde Dohne Merino, mag ook bydra tot beter paringsbeheer en vermyding van die moontlike verlies aan genetiese variasie.

Die belangrike rol wat tegniese veldbeamptes speel in die keuring van geregistreerde diere en bemarking van die ras is beklemtoon.   Visuele keuring van diere verg dat inspekteurs landwyd eenvormige standaarde handhaaf.  Goedopgeleide veldpersoneel is onontbeerlik om funksionaliteit van Dohne Merinos te verseker in kombinasie met doeltreffende produksie deur metings.  Na debattering van hoe inligting beter aangewend kan word,  is daar tot gevolgtrekking gekom dat huiswerk voor keuring en uitsoek van ramme vir en op veilings saam met inspekteurs gedoen moet word om beter besluite te neem.  Die mening was ook dat gespesialiseerde advies oor seleksiebesluite op ‘n hoër vlak lê as wat van gewone tegniese veldbeamptes verwag kan word.  Daarom is voorgestel dat makelaarsfirmas dit oorweeg om senior tegniese adviseurs regoor die land aan te wys, wat advies kan lewer oor die doeltreffende aanwending van al meer gesofitikeerde hulpmiddels.

Voorbeelde van probleme ten opsigte van opkruippense (nasionale veiling), afwykende tipe, vagverrotting, hakke, en oorvoeding is bespreek sodat beoordelingstandaarde meer konsekwent gehandhaaf kan word.  Opmerkings het ingesluit dat die kleur van wol verbeter moet word om vagverrotting te beperk.  Die vergadering het aanbeveel dat rasstandaarde hersien word en afsnypunte, veral ten opsigte van kenmerke wat met graad van intensiteit verskil, beter gedefinieer word.

Die “bosberaad/thinktank” is met ‘n ete afgesluit waartydens verdere besprekings tussen al die teenwoordiges plaasgevind het.  Groot dank aan Jaco Zaaiman vir sy reëlings.