The Power of NSIP to Increase Your Profits August 17, 2015 Rusty Burgett, Program Director
The Power of NSIP to Increase Your Profits
August 17, 2015
Rusty Burgett, Program Director
NSIP to Increase Profits
• National Sheep Improvement Program
– “A profit driven genetic selection tool”
• Our Mission:
– To provide predictable, economically important genetic evaluation information to the American sheep industry by converting performance records into relevant decision-making tools.
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NSIP to Increase Profits
• Why do we need a profit driven genetic selection tool for U.S. sheep?
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Importance of Genetic Selection
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• U.S. Sheep Industry Roadmap
• Productivity Improvement
– Wider adoption of Quantitative Genetic Selection
• Genetics are the foundation to build upon
Importance of Genetic Selection
Phenotype = Genetics + Environment
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Estimated Breeding Values
• EBVs are tools that:
– Minimize guesswork of ram selection
– Assign number values to genetic merit
– Allows for quick, easy comparison
– More powerful than actual performance data, adjusted means...
– Focused on economically important traits
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Value of a Ram
• Profit is determined by pounds of lamb(wool) sold per ewe.
– Number of lambs born
– Number of lambs weaned
– Birth, weaning and post weaning weight of lambs
– Wool yield and quality
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Value of a Ram
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Value of a Ram
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How do we Get EBVs?
• Similar to EPDs
• Step 1.) Measure Phenotypic traits of animal
– Body weights
– Carcass measurements
– Reproduction
– Wool Traits
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Adjust for Variation
• Step 2.) Account for environmental differences (Birth type, feed…)
Phenotype = Genetics + Environment
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Adjust for Variation
• Contemporary group rearing
– Raise similar lambs in a similar environment
• Multi-flock comparison
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Analyze pedigrees
• Step 3.) Compare animal to all of its relatives
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Analyze Pedigrees
• An individual’s performance is compared to every known relative
– Including relatives in other flocks
• Adjust for genetic relationship (shared genes) and heritability of each trait
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How do we Get EBVs?
• Isolate the genetic differences between animals
– Account for know sources of variation
– Compare to all related animals
• Assign numeric value to genetic merit
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The Power of NSIP
• Because environmental differences are eliminated and pedigrees are analyzed, EBVs are more powerful than:
– Raw data
– Adjusted weights
– Ram tests
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The End Result
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The Good News?
• You don’t have to worry about doing any genetic calculations!
– NSIP takes care of all the work
• Enrolled flocks just submit measures and EBVs are returned
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What Traits are available?
• Weight:
– Birth
– Weaning
– Post Weaning
– Yearling/hogget
• Carcass:
– Eye muscle
– Fat depth
• Fleece:
– GFW
– Curvature CV
– Fiber Diameter
• Reproduction:
– NLB
– NLW
• Fecal Egg Count
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What Traits are available?
• Production Index-
– Combines multiple traits into 1 figure
• USA Range
• USA Maternal
• Carcass Plus
• USA Hair
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Importance of Ram Selection
• Rams represent half of the genetics of the next lamb crop
– Market lambs
– Replacement ewes
• Does NSIP really improve genetics?
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Genetic Progress
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Nu
mb
er
of
Lam
bs
Bo
rn E
BV
(%
)
Targhee Reproduction
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014We
anin
g an
d M
ate
rnal
W
ean
ing
We
igh
t EB
Vs
(lb
)
Targhee Growth
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Fle
ece
We
igh
t an
d F
ibe
r D
iam
ete
r EB
Vs
Targhee Wool
99.0
100.0
101.0
102.0
103.0
104.0
105.0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
USA
Ran
ge E
BV
s ($
)
Western Range Index
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Genetic Progress
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Nu
mb
er
of
Lam
bs
Bo
rn a
nd
W
ean
ed
EB
Vs
Year
Polypay Reproduction
NLB (%)
NLW (%)
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
We
anin
g an
d M
ate
rnal
W
ean
ing
We
igh
t EB
Vs
Year
Polypay Growth
WW (lb)
MWW (lb)
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14 extra lambs/100 ewes lambing!
1.75 pounds heavier @ 60 days=201 more lbs of lamb!
Genetic Progress
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
We
anin
g an
d P
ost
we
anin
g W
eig
ht
EBV
s
Year
Suffolk Growth
WW (lb)
PWW (lb)
-0.0350
-0.0300
-0.0250
-0.0200
-0.0150
-0.0100
-0.0050
0.0000
0.0050
0.0100
0.0150
Eye
Mu
scle
an
d F
at D
ep
th E
BV
s
Year
Suffolk Carcass
EMD (in)
Fat (in)
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How to Get Started• Using EBVs from NSIP in your ram selection
– Demand EBVs from your suppliers
• If you are a seedstock producer, join NSIP!
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Not a Silver Bullet
• Visual appraisal of ram for:
– Sound feet and legs, free of foot rot
– Correct mouth structure
– Breeding soundness exam
– Health status and susceptibility
• Scrapie
• OPP
• Spider
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Not a Silver Bullet
• Does not replace good management
– Breeding Program
• Including cross breeding!
– Nutrition
– Marketing
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Conclusion
• NSIP is designed to:
– Reduce risks associated with ram selection
– Expedite genetic progress
– Increase productivity and profitability
Visit www.nsip.org for more information including percentile and elite sire reports
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Thank you!
• Questions?
• Paid for in part by the American Sheep Industry
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Step 1. Analyze Production
• Quantify current production level:
– Number of lambs born/ewe
– Number of lambs weaned/ewe
– Average weaning weight of lambs
– Average post weaning growth (ADG)
– Loin eye area and back fat thickness
NLB 1.2
NLW 0.8
WWT 62
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Step 2. Set Goals
• Establish a goal for improvement of each trait
• Prioritize importance of each goal for profit
Trait Current Goal Priority
NLB 1.2 2.0 2
NLW 0.8 2.0 1
WWT 62 68 3
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Step 3. Use EBVs in Selection
• Start with Production Indexes
– Combine multiple traits into one value
– Maternal-USA Maternal
– Terminal-Carcass Plus
– Range-USA Range
– Hair-USA Hair
– Select from top 40% of the index
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http://nsip.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/62-Percentiles.pdf
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Index of 116.0 or higher
Step 3. Use EBVs in Selection
• Select for individual traits
– Based on priority of goals
• Priority 1.-select ram in top 10% of breed for that trait
• Priority 2.-select ram in top 20% of breed
• Priority 3.-select ram in top 25% of breed
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Step 3. Use EBVs in Selection
Trait Current Goal Priority Percentile
NLB 1.2 2.0 2 Top 20%
NLW 0.8 2.0 1 Top 10%
WWT 62 68 3 Top 25%
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http://nsip.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/62-Percentiles.pdf
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Top 10% have 24.3 or higher
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Trait Current Goal Priority Percentile
NLB 1.2 2.0 2 Top 20%
NLW 0.8 2.0 1 Top 10%
WWT 62 68 3 Top 25%
Step 3. Use EBVs in Selection
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http://nsip.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/62-Percentiles.pdf
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Step 3. Use EBVs in Selection
Trait Current Goal Priority Percentile
NLB 1.2 2.0 2 Top 20%
NLW 0.8 2.0 1 Top 10%
WWT 62 68 3 Top 25%
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http://nsip.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/62-Percentiles.pdf
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Step 3. Use EBVs in Selection
• Prioritizing selection pressure on individual traits will expedite genetic progress
• Priority should be placed on economically important traits
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