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High Performance

Elite Wools

Breeding Objectives

Pooginook aims to maintain our existing lifetime production of mules free high-quality wool that can handle varied climates. We aim to maintain fleece value whilst improving ewe efficiency, fast early growth, carcass and reduce breech wrinkle. 

POOGINOOK PRODUCTION

We have shorn our breeders 6 monthly for 20 years. In our environment during 2018 - 2020, on average the breeders cut 8.5kg per year at 19.5 micron. During this time, the 1 year old rams cut on average 4.7kg in 6 months at 17.9 micron.

6 monthly shearing for 20 years

COMMERCIAL BENEFITS

  • Wool suitable for variable climates
  • Improved wool yield
  • Improved $/DSE/Ha
  • Improved $/ewe
  • No breech modification to sheep enables in-specification wool premiums and more market access

OUR WOOL QUALITY

Pooginook strives to produce deep crimping white lustrous wool with a bundled lock structure, growing from a loose pliable plain skin. In order to maintain our current clean fleece weights we are balancing staple length, follicle density, yield and surface area.

Peter Small – Chairman of Toorallie – since 2014 has returned each year to purchase wool for their men and women's knitwear range following his experience of "Pooginook growing wools with superior processing qualities particularly softness and sheen".

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RAM SHOWING HIGH WOOL PRODUCTION AND VALUE

  • DNA POLL TEST: PP
    TAG: 223866
    BIRTHTYPE: 1

    MerinoSelect Run 21 August 2023

      ASBV INDUSTRY RANKING
    YFD -1.2
    YCFW 28.1 Top 20%
    ACFW 23.9 Top 20%
    YSL 12.7 Top 30%
    EBWR -0.6 Top 30%
    SMHR 157 Top 5%
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    Industry Percentile Bands
    WOOL TRAITS

    • YEARLING CLEAN FLEECE WEIGHT (YCFW)

      Yearling Clean Fleece Weight (%) - Ewes with higher YCFW ASBVs produce progeny which will cut more wool as a yearling (10-13 months).

      OUR BREEDING OBJECTIVE

      Since the move to mules free, we have focused on maintaining clean fleece weight. The graph shows yearling clean fleece weights have maintained over the last 3 years. We collect yearling and adult fleece weights on the breeders to strengthen the ASBV accuracies. Wool yield is measured on all progeny to provide accuracy for yearling clean fleece weight.

      By plaining the skin without careful selection, you can reduce clean fleece weight. In order to maintain our current clean fleece weights we are balancing staple length, follicle density, yield and surface area. Visual assessment is also being used to select for our wool quality on soft pliable skins. 

      ASBVs on this graph are PGK breeders showing the genetic trend

    • ADULT CLEAN FLEECE WEIGHT (ACFW)

      Adult Clean Fleece Weight (%) - Ewes with higher ACFW ASBVs produce progeny which will cut more wool as an adult (> 18 months).

      OUR BREEDING OBJECTIVE

      Since the move to no mules free, we have focused on maintaining clean fleece weight. The graph shows adult clean fleece weights have maintained over the last 3 years. We collect adult fleece weights on the breeders to strengthen the ASBV accuracies. 

      By plaining the skin without careful selection, you can reduce clean fleece weight. In order to maintain our current clean fleece weights we are balancing staple length, follicle density, yield and surface area. Visual assessment is also being used to select for our wool quality on soft pliable skins.

      ASBVs on this graph are PGK breeders showing the genetic trend

    • YEARLING FIBRE DIAMETER (YFD)

      Yearling Fibre Diameter (µm) - Ewes with more negative YFD ASBVs produce progeny which are finer as a yearling (10-13 months).

      OUR BREEDING OBJECTIVE

      To maintain fleece value, we are ensuring micron doesn't increase while improving other traits such as breech wrinkle, staple length, carcass and fast early growth. As the sheep skins plain, the coefficient of variation (CV) of micron is continuing to reduce, which can improve the processing performance.

      ASBVs on this graph are PGK breeders showing the genetic trend

    • YEARLING STAPLE LENGTH (YSL)

      Yearling Staple Length (mm) - Ewes with more positive YSL ASBVs will produce progeny with longer fibre length as a yearling (10-13 months).

      OUR BREEDING OBJECTIVE

      To achieve 6 monthly shearing, selecting for staple length is critical. Staple length can improve yearling clean fleece weight. However, more extreme staple length can lead to increasing micron and lower adult fleece weight. To maintain our micron and adult clean fleece weights we balance staple length with follicle density and micron. At this stage, we are using visual assessment on the breeders to estimate follicle density. However, we are collecting data for follicle density on the 1 year old sires in 2021.

      ASBVs on this graph are PGK breeders showing the genetic trend

      High Performance Areas