A Case Report of Commercial Production from High Fecundity Livestock in a Pastoral Environment

TL;DR

This paper reports on the successful commercial use of high-fecundity sheep and cattle genotypes in a pastoral setting, increasing offspring weaned by about 30%.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates the practical application of high-ovulation-rate genotypes in livestock for commercial production in a pastoral environment.

Findings

The FecB (Booroola) gene increased lambing percentage from 111% to 145% in prime lamb ewes.

USMARC Twinner genetics raised calf weaning percentage from 89% to 115% in cattle herds.

Both sheep and cattle benefited from genetic developments that increased litter sizes.

Abstract

This report describes the commercial use in a pastoral situation over a number of years, of including sheep and cattle genotypes with higher-than-normal ovulation rates. In both species, the use of these genotypes has increased the number of offspring weaned by around 30%.

In the Australian primary industries, beef cows are recognized as monovular while sheep are less so, and both seem likely to benefit from increased litter sizes. In both species, there have been genetic developments causing increased litter sizes, but these have only had limited commercial application. This report describes the commercial use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in prime lamb ewes to increase lambing percentage from the 111% typical of the local industry to 145% in the flock described. In cattle, the use of the USMARC Twinner selection line genetics raised calf weaning percentage from the 89% typical of the local industry to 115% in the herds described.