The animals referred to as Lamb Plus are half Centre Plus & half non traditional Merino.
The performance of the Lamb Plus trial animals , have in summary performed in the following manner.
Greasy Fleece Weight = - 16% less
Fibre Diameter = + 1.7 mic stronger
Body Weight = + 18% more
Eye Muscle Depth = + 3.2 mm more
Fecal Egg Count EBV's = -0.4 far more resistant
Scanned Twins = 27.4% more twins
Lambing Percent = 38.7% higher lambing percent
Even allowing for hybrid vigor the LP performance for BW, Growth, Worm Resistance, and Fertility are far better than Centre Plus. For this reason we believe a Lamb Plus flock has the potential to assist Centre Plus in achieving its breeding goals.
The difference between Centre Plus and Lamb Plus for Fleece Weight and Fibre Diameter is far too great to continue a flock this far from our breeding position.
| CENTRE PLUS v Lamb Plus ~ MAIDEN EWES at 2000 Mating | ||||||
| Lamb | Lamb | Ewes | Maidens | Maidens | ||
| Mate 00 | Sex | Number | Av B Statis | MATED | Scan Twin% | Lamb % |
| CP Ewes x CP | F | 48 | 1.46 | |||
| M | 56 | 1.50 | ||||
| CP x CP Total | 104 | 1.48 | 107 | 41.4 | 97.2 | |
| Finn Ewes x CP | F | 11 | 1.91 | |||
| M | 6 | 1.67 | ||||
| Finn x CP Total | 17 | 1.82 | 12 | 58.3 | 141.7 | |
| Rambo Ewes x CP | F | 12 | 1.75 | |||
| M | 17 | 1.53 | ||||
| Rambo x CP Total | 29 | 1.62 | 22 | 68.2 | 131.8 | |
| SAMM Ewes x CP | F | 18 | 1.61 | |||
| M | 13 | 1.85 | ||||
| SAMM x CP Total | 31 | 1.71 | 22 | 81.8 | 140.9 | |
| Waridale Ewes x CP | F | 6 | 1.67 | |||
| M | 4 | 1.50 | ||||
| Waridale x CP Total | 10 | 1.60 | 8 | 50 | 125.0 | |
| Grand Total | 196 | 1.58 | 174 | 112.6 | ||
For this reason in the 2000 mating season all Lamb Plus Animals were mated back to the finest Centre Plus animals.
In 2001 we now have 178 quarter cross, plus 42 half cross Dohne making a Lamb Plus hogget flock of 220 animals.
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Hogget Rams 1998 drop LP verse CP |
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Cross |
Breed |
Progeny Number |
Av CFW% |
Av FD dev |
Av BW% |
Av EMD |
Av FEC |
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Pure |
Centre Plus |
350 |
102.3 |
-0.4 |
97.9 |
25.1 |
0.2 |
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Half |
Finn |
24 |
81.3 |
2.6 |
111.5 |
27.6 |
-0.1 |
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Half |
Rambouillet |
14 |
89.1 |
1.3 |
116.1 |
28.3 |
-0.7 |
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Half |
SAMM |
20 |
88.4 |
2.1 |
116.0 |
29.2 |
-0.4 |
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Half |
Waridale |
12 |
86.6 |
1.7 |
101.1 |
28.2 |
-0.4 |
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Grand Total |
420 |
100.0 |
0.0 |
100.2 |
25.6 |
0.1 |
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Hogget Ewes 1998 drop LP verse CP |
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Cross |
Breed |
Progemy Number |
Av GFW% |
Av FD dev |
Av BW% |
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Pure |
Centre Plus |
343 |
102.6 |
-0.4 |
96.4 |
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Half |
Finn |
13 |
78.1 |
2.1 |
115.3 |
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Half |
Rambouillet |
23 |
89.4 |
0.9 |
119.8 |
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Half |
SAMM |
23 |
83.9 |
2.0 |
118.2 |
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Half |
Waridale |
10 |
91.1 |
1.4 |
108.1 |
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Grand Total |
412 |
100.0 |
0.0 |
100.0 |
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Hogget Rams 2000 drop LP verse CP |
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Cross |
Breed |
Progeny Number |
Av CFW% |
Av FD dev |
Av BW% |
Av EMD |
Av FEC |
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Pure |
Centre Plus |
388 |
103.3 |
0.0 |
99.9 |
22.5 |
0.0 |
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Half |
Dohne |
21 |
95.3 |
0.9 |
108.5 |
23.9 |
0.1 |
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Quarter |
Finn |
25 |
94.8 |
0.8 |
103.5 |
23.3 |
-0.3 |
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Quarter |
Rambouillet |
35 |
91.3 |
0.3 |
101.1 |
23.2 |
0.0 |
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Quarter |
SAMM |
29 |
95.6 |
0.5 |
105.0 |
23.7 |
-0.1 |
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Quarter |
Waridale |
3 |
84.0 |
-0.5 |
91.9 |
22.3 |
0.0 |
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Grand Total |
501 |
101.1 |
0.1 |
100.8 |
22.7 |
0.0 |
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Hogget Ewes 2000 drop LP verse CP |
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Cross |
Breed |
Progeny Number |
Av GFW% |
Av FD dev |
Av BW% |
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Pure |
CP |
399 |
103.0 |
-0.1 |
99.2 |
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Half |
Dohne |
20 |
94.0 |
0.6 |
114.6 |
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Quarter |
Finn |
23 |
84.2 |
1.0 |
104.5 |
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Quarter |
Rambouillet |
26 |
95.5 |
0.6 |
106.8 |
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Quarter |
SAMM |
27 |
92.1 |
0.4 |
110.4 |
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Quarter |
Waridale |
6 |
88.7 |
-0.7 |
96.3 |
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Grand Total |
501 |
100.6 |
0.0 |
101.0 |
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The only Lamb Plus mating in 2001 at Centre Plus was one ½ SAMM ram mated to 40 Centre Plus ewes.
This ½ SAMM ram was given a progeny group because of his Adult 2.4 y.o. fleece measurements and that he was overlooked in favor of a larger SAMM sire in 2000 the mating..
LP-807588 Mid CFW=5.7kg, FD=20.0mic, CVfd=15.0%, SS=78N/Kt, EMD=36mm
Pin CFW=5.6kg, FD=20.5mic, CVfd=15.6%, SS=60N/Kt,
The long term goal for both the Centre Plus (CP) and Lamb Plus (LP) flocks are the same.
To have the most profitable elite wool on the most profitable maternal body. With the passing of time develop the best ratio of animal nutrition share between wool & lamb production.
Although the long term breeding goals are the same, allowing both flocks to start with different genetic bases, and develop having more emphasis in different areas, creates the best long term potential.
The Centre Plus flock continuing with the same Index and trait selection pressure, which concentrates more on wool.
The Lamb Plus flock to capture the genes which are superior to CP while using inputs of CP genes to assist the wool performance.
| Centre Plus | Breeding | Hec | Lamb | GFW | FD | Maiden | Weaner | CFA | GM per | GM per |
| Flock | Ewes | % | Kg | Mic | Ewes | Wethers | Ewes | Head | Hectare | |
| 1981 / 1983 | 1200 | 400 | 90% | 6.0 | 22.5 | $35 | $20 | $25 | $27.59 | $82.78 |
| 1996 / 1998 | 1160 | 400 | 120% | 6.5 | 19.5 | $50 | $20 | $25 | $52.62 | $152.60 |
| Lamb Plus GM | 1090 | 400 | 150% | 6.0 | 19.5 | $55 | $30 | $35 | $69.89 | $190.44 |
| CP Target 2008 | 1125 | 400 | 130% | 7.0 | 18.5 | $50 | $35 | $25 | $83.62 | $235.17 |
The possible plan, in the longer term, is to merge together the best trait performance shown in the target Gross Margins for the Lamb Plus and Centre Plus flocks above, into the one flock.
To attain full benefit of the Lamb Plus gene pool, the flock needs greater numbers under selection.
Centre Plus therefore needs to set up the structure, agreements and Breeding Objectives, to allow for lateral expansion at other sites.
This expansion has already started with all LP First Cross ewes moving to Barry Langs. property at Oberon NSW. These ewes are being mated to a large fine Centre Plus Sire to produce more quarter cross Lamb Plus progeny.