The 2023 born progeny will aim to possess the following attributes when under commercial conditions and being tupped and lambed at condition score 3

Production traits

1. High reproductive rate (in mixed aged ewes) made up of a high scanning percentage (160% or above) and high lamb survival (95% in singles and 80% in twins) allowing a tailing percentage of 134% or above.  The 2023 drop to have a number of lambs weaned EBV in MERINOSELECT of positive 10% or above

2. Rapid early growth – Average MERINOSELECT EBV for weaning weight of positive 4.0 or above

3. Grow 20 to 22 micron wool as the result of a MERINOSELECT EBV for Yearling Fibre Diameter between 0.0 and positive 2.0 micron

4. Produce moderate fleece weight approximately 3.5 to 4.0 kg as the result of a MERINOSELECT EBV for Yearling Clean Fleece Weight of between positive 10% and positive 15%

5. Long stapled wool – Average MERINOSELECT EBV for Yearling Staple Length of positive 12mm or above

Labour saving / Ease of farming traits

1. Resistance to Footrot (bacterial infection caused by Dichelobacter nodosus). Average genomic Breeding Value for footrot in the top 15% of animals that have been genotyped and recorded in the 2023 drop

2. Possess low environmental sensitivity (commonly referred to as constitution, doing ability, foraging or robustness):average MERINOSELECT EBV for Yearling Eye Muscle Depth of positive 2.0mm or above; average MERINOSELECT EBV for Yearling Fat Depth of positive 1.0mm or above

3. Resistance and resilience to worms: average yearling Worm Egg Count EBV on MERINOSELECT of negative 25% or below

4. Low dag score: average Late Dag EBV on MERINOSELECT of negative 25% or below

5. Minimal wool on legs and heads – average of score 2 for face cover based on the Visual Sheep Scores booklet (ISBN 1 92090 871 4)

6. Low wrinkle scores - Average MERINOSELECT EBV for Early Breech Wrinkle (EBWR) of negative 1.0 or below

7. 90% of male progeny expressing a Poll (non-horned) phenotype