LAMBPLAN: SHEEP GENETICS

Performance Recording & Lambplan

Visual assessment alone will never reveal the full genetic potential of an animal. While structure and soundness remain essential, objective measurement is what truly drives progress.

At Willows, we record data across a range of key production traits throughout each animal’s life. This information is submitted to Sheep Genetics’ LAMBPLAN program, allowing us to benchmark our flock against terminal and maternal flocks across Australia. By continually analysing this data, we can identify our current performance, track genetic progress, and select sires in the top percentiles nationwide to keep improving year on year.

Each stud lamb is weighed and tagged at birth, ensuring accurate pedigree and birthweight records. Additional weights are collected at weaning and post-weaning, generating precise ASBVs (Australian Sheep Breeding Values) for growth. All young stud sheep are also scanned for fat and eye-muscle depth, DNA is also tested to increase the accuracy on eating quality traits , combined providing valuable insights into carcase performance.

This objective data enables producers to make confident, evidence-based decisions. Whether selecting a low-birthweight, high-fat maternal sire for joining Merino ewes, or a high-growth terminal ram to produce market-ready lambs, ASBVs offer clear, reliable guidance to align genetics with production goals.

We’re proud to operate with a:

• GOLD Standard Data Management Rating

• Direct link to the industry nucleus flock

• DNA sampling program to further increase accuracy and accelerate genetic gain