Data legacy builds wool's future
For two years the Falkiner Memorial Field Station in NSW has been home to a research flock that is feeding data into the SheepGenomics program
Pictured right: Farm manger John Murray (on left) and research manager George Nichols at the sheepyards at Falkiner Memorial Field Station.
Taking 1400 faecal samples for internal parasite egg counts in one day is a lot of sheep's bottoms, but at the Falkiner Memorial Field Station (FMFS) it illustrates the scale of the research being carried out for the SheepGenomics project.
Located just outside Deniliquin in southern NSW, FMFS is the AWI-owned farm that, since being acquired from CSIRO in 2002, has been established as a commercially focused centre for wool industry research. The field station was originally donated to the wool industry for the purposes of research and development by the Falkiner family of ‘Boonoke Merino Stud'. Their bequest was made in memory of two family members killed in World War II.
For the past two years, FMFS has been the home of a DNA marker research flock, providing a vast amount of the information needed for research within SheepGenomics, which is a $30 million DNA-based research project funded by AWI and Meat and Livestock Australia, and run in partnership with 11 research organisations. By 2008, SheepGenomics will have identified a suite of gene markers for traits of economic importance and will commercialise those markers for use in the sheep industry.
George Nichols, FMFS research manager, says the two most hectic years of data collection have ended and the flock - comprising Merino and meat breeds – is down to 4000, from more than 5000 at its peak.
"A project of this magnitude has not been conducted anywhere in the world, so we had to create our own solutions to the problems we faced, such as collecting faecal egg samples in a uniform manner quickly and easily," Mr Nichols says. "It's been about establishing data collection systems, utilising technology and working with good contractors to get the job done properly."
In the first two years of the project there were 543,125 handlings of sheep to collect 197,500 samples or pieces of data. This also resulted in 495 litres of blood and 350 kilograms of faeces collected. They have collected 45,500 blood samples for DNA and a further 6000 for parasite research, and taken 30,000 live weights. Mid-side samples and fleece weights have been taken from 7750 sheep, and 5500 ewes have been pregnancy-scanned twice.
"In one yarding we can record up to 14 different measurements, which can mean each animal tag is scanned four times," he says. "And you are dealing with all breeds and all sizes from 70kg down to 30kg."
As the intensity of the data collection scales down, the wether portion of the 2006 progeny will be sold for slaughter in groups of 120 until the end of March 2007, for the measurement of carcase traits. Blood samples of every animal, including those being killed, are collected for future research.
"The scale of the project provides a challenge to our management systems, both of the flock and the farm," Mr Nichols says. "For example, as part of the parasite project all sheep are challenged with live parasites, and they all need to go on to clean paddocks for 25 days while shedding worms so they can be accurately measured. All 2800 sheep need to be able to run in the same conditions to keep the results accurate."
Farm manager John Murray says while irrigation allocations have been low, the investment made by AWI in improving paddock design and irrigation layout has helped with pasture improvement, while other areas are being rested to allow regeneration of native pasture species.
"It can be a real juggle at times," Mr Murray says. "The biggest pressure is at lambing: we needed 21 paddocks for lambing ewes to collect lambing data for each sire group."
The FMFS team regularly hosts researchers and scientists, who often help take samples.
"They always get a surprise at the intensity of the work going on here," Mr Nichols says. "It's just the same as if we walked into a lab and tried to understand what they were doing.
"That is why we are always happy for groups of woolgrowers to come and have a look at what goes on here. It helps them understand the volume of research being conducted in SheepGenomics and realise the potential of the long-term solutions the project will bring to the sheep industry."
Mr Murray points out that many of the systems established to handle large numbers could also be of benefit to woolgrowers. "We are operating with the latest technology on a large scale and giving it a real workout. It is a large-scale trial of the latest electronic equipment."
More information: George Nichols, 03 5884 6611, georgenichols@woolinnovation.com or www.sheepgenomics.com
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