Disciplined selection for well muscled sheep with locked in performance and excellent constitution.
Key points
- SIL NZ Maternal Worth indexes generated from 1100 hill country bred performance recorded ewes. All of the Pahiwi selection data on our young stock is generated under hill country conditions at high stocking rates with minimal inputs. Strict NIL adult ewe drenching.
- Fertility- Pahiwi recorded ewes are consistently scanning over 185% and docking well over 160% (ewes to ram), for our clients fertility has been a key selection trait. A recent five-year average from 2020 to 2025 has the mixed age ewes at 208% and 2 ths at 182%. All ewe hoggets are single sire mated also with preg scan data included on SIL selection lists.
- Survival- All recorded lambs were tagged at birth until 2023. We had placed emphasis on selection for mothering ability and closely monitored lamb survival. This selection work dates right back to when Pat Tennent established the flock in 1957.
- We transitioned into full flock genomics in 2023 with all lambs DNA recorded at docking. Scanning multiples ensures accurate data on live lambs at docking and weaning, this survival data is then uploaded into SIL to generate breeding values and index figures. Survival is a complex trait involving many factors such as mothering ability, lamb vigour, milking ability to name a few. With selection for superior bloodlines, we are very proud of the calibre of survivability in the flock. This is back up by survival indexes near the top of the industry.
- Growth rate- weaning weight is a key driver in farm profitability. Kg’s of lamb live weight weaned per kg of ewe liveweight mated is key to measuring flock efficiency. We select for fast growth to breed sheep with early maturity and hogget mating potential. We record all weaning weights and Autumn weights across ewe and ram lambs. Our genetic trend graphs are showing solid progress is being made here.
- Wool- we keep a handle on wool quality and select for an even cover and medium bulky type. Ram hogget fleeces are weighed at the beginning of August to generate fleece weight breeding values.(FW12) Any fly struck animals are culled, as are any animals with fleece faults.
- Parasite tolerance- we have taken a direct approach here by not drenching adult ewes since 2009, with the last drench given to 2 tooths as hogget lambs are weaned before Christmas if required. As breeders we need to challenge our stock to ensure we are identifying those top performers and culling anything that doesn’t measure up. We are Worm FEC testing our Romney ram lambs in the Autumn to select for parasite resistance through Techion Group. Worm resistant sheep with high production is our objective and we believe in a balanced approach of utilising both resilient and resistant bloodlines in the flock. We were very pleased to be accepted into the Worm FEC Gold Group in 2024. (Addtional info on the group can be found at wormfecgold.co.nz) Pahiwi Romneys are bred to reduce pasture contamination and drench use, with lower labour inputs while still performing to a high level.
- Dag scoring- using SIL dag score best practice techniques we score our lambs at both weaning and again in the Autumn. The two data collection points give us over time a very indication of the superior bloodlines. This data collection is used to update the dag indexes (DPD). Our mission, breeding sheep with less dags, flystrike, and less work!
- Facial excema- we have been steadily breeding FE tolerance into our flock, with the clear goal of retaining the other traits we have worked to hard on. This began with the purchase of an FE tested sire in 2008 from NZ’s leading FE flock (based on SILACE). Since then we have steadily increased the number of FE tested sires used in the flock. We have invested in sires with high FE tolerance and are testing a number of ram hoggets at .45 dose rate. Ram Guard testing enables us to guage our progress while maintaining progress in other traits, we also use genomics to give another layer of accuracy to our selection. High FE tolerance in Romneys is the result of many years of selection, we are happy with the gains we are making while retaining the traits Pahiwi Romneys are renowned for.
- Foot structure- feet problems are an industry wide issue, we are proud to have bred a line of sheep with very good structure. This is backed up by client feedback, selection pressure and a ‘no excuses’ approach to culling.
- Adult weight- to ensure we are selecting for growth efficiency, we weigh our 2 tooth and mixed age breeding ewes pre tup. This info is blended into our overall index, or can be split out for individual sire analysis (EWT BV). The key for us is to use this data to select for bloodlines that produce a high proportion of ewe live-weight in kilograms of weaned lamb. In addition to pre tup weighing ewes, we body condition score mixed age and 2 tooth ewes. This is expressed as a breeding value. We also body condition score (BCS) each ewe as we record adult weights pre tup. This info generates data on ewes with high production that stay in good nick.
