Merino breeding review - Survey

The Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders are currently conducting a survey of wool producers, and would like your input! The survey is aimed at finding out what the future breeding directions of the woold industry are, and how these vary across the current wool types. This will help ensure the Association provides the industry with the tools that are relevant and focussed on future industry needs.

The past 10 years have seen many changes in the Merino industry. Factors such as high lamb and mutton prices, variable seasons across all of Australia, and fluctuating grain and wool markets have all contributed to changes in the make up of the Australian sheep flock and will continue to do so in the future. As a result, the breeding direction for many wool producers across the country have also been changing. This survey will help to asses these changes, and how they will impact on the future of the industry.

The survey will include questions about:

• What parts of the industry fall into each specific wool type category


• How to value traits that are hard to define economically such as breech wrinkle, fat depth, and  comfort factor


• What future breeding tools should be made available to ram buyers


• How many people are buying rams versus breeding their own rams

The survey is made up of two parts: some information about you and your farm (breeder profile), and then some questions about measurable traits you think are the most important (trait preference).

You can begin the survey by clicking on the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MerinoReview

Please complete the survey by the 15th of April 2012. If you have questions please do not hestitate to contact Luke Stephen: 67 732 948.