Nominations open for Sheep Progeny Test

Wednesday 1st November 2023

B+LNZ Genetics invites breeders to nominate rams for the 2024-mating of the Sheep Central Progeny Test (CPT).  It is open to maternal and terminal sires and all mating will be via Artificial Insemination.  

There are two Hub sites – the South Island site at AgResearch's Invermay farm in Dunedin and a North Island site at Glenside, Masterton. Successful rams are used at both sites so that the performance of their progeny can be evaluated across two environments.   

Why submit a ram to the Central Progeny Test?  

The purpose of the CPT is to connect flocks across breeds - which wouldn’t happen naturally in industry - to underpin New Zealand's large scale across-flock genetic evaluation, known as the NZGE.  

The benchmarking carried out in the CPT ensures rams’ breeding values and therefore future performance, are as accurate as possible. 

Including a ram from your flock “connects” you to the NZGE and validates the performance of your flock against other New Zealand flocks. This connection allows you to be benchmarked in nProve. 

For more details on assessing your genetic connections, refer to the document 'Tools to review your connectedness,' outlining different methods for understanding these connections.

Selection criteria  

To support the CPT’s purpose of maximising connectedness across the national flock, there will be a number of spots available to groups who want to connect themselves to the NZGE – with priority given to groups over individual flocks.   

Preference will be given to: 

• NZGE recorded flocks  

• flock groups who have used a sire widely; 

• rams submitted by groups to connect multiple flocks; 

• flocks recording core NZMW or NZTW traits; 

• flocks recording additional traits (e.g. FE, WormFEC, Dag, BCS etc) potentially provide more connections. 

• rams used widely (if a young ram is nominated, preference is given to group committed to using it). 

• Where possible, isolated or new breeds will be considered. 

Upon successful admission into the CPT, a ram submission form needs to be completed.  

Costs 

There is no cost if your ram is accepted through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process because of its industry-good significance. However, it is expected that successful flocks use the selected sire in their own/other flocks in the same year or nominate a sire that has been widely-used. 

Flocks and groups are welcome to submit a ram on a “pay for entry” basis. The cost is $5000 for a terminal ram and $15,000 for a maternal ram – the direct cost of testing a ram in the CPT.  

All successful sires are required to provide semen for AI only.  All successful flocks must meet the costs of animal health testing and semen collection.  

How to submit rams 

Step One: Click the link below to open the form 
Step Two: Fill out ram nomination details 
Step Three: Click Submit 
Step Four: Check your inbox for a follow-up confirmation email. 

Nomination forms must be received by Friday 24 November 2023. 

Nomination outcome will be communicated by Friday 22 December 2023 and successful nominators provided with a Ram Supply Agreement for signing. 

Important dates 

• 1 November 2023 - Nominations open  

• 24 November 2023 - Nominations close  

• 22 December 2023 - Applicants notified of the outcome and successful applicants supplied with a Ram Supply Agreement 

For more information, email info@blnzgenetics.com  

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