New England

Visit the New England Online MLP Field Day

Background

In 1989 a group was formed to conduct Merino Sire Evaluation in the New England district of NSW. In December 1992, the New England Merino Sire Evaluation Association was formed. The first program of insemination was conducted at ‘Mirani’ near Walcha, in April 1990 .

The aim of the New England Merino Sire Evaluation Association is to demonstrate genetic potential and to benchmark local and interstate sires under the same environmental conditions. The program has operated with assistance from CSIRO Livestock Industries, NSW Department Primary Industries, University of New South Wales and the University of New England.

Download the New England MLP Site Brochure

Location

The New England sire evaluation trials have been carried out on a number of commercial and research properties in the Armidale, Uralla and Walcha areas of NSW. All of these properties have run superfine or fine wool merino ewe flocks.

The New England sire evaluation site host a Merino Lifetime Productivity (MLP) Project site at the CSIRO “Chiswick” Research Station at Uralla, NSW.

Breeding Objective

The Breeding Objective is to breed a commercially viable and productive superfine wool sheep suitable for climatic and pastoral conditions of the New England Tablelands. Sheep should not require high management inputs but be highly productive (fleece weight) relative to a fine wool type (14 – 17 micron at first assessment).