Global ovine
Member
- Location
- Central Otago NZ
One could argue for years the details that comprise efficiency and GHG emissions. The science takes in all traits included in a maternal index, not just growth. However that index does not involve grazing habit. This along with rumen flora are two influential factors affecting the measured differences which are very important according to the type of grazing management used.
A hill and upland (high country in NZ) farmer runs sheep more extensively, so sheep which graze on the move picking here and there, but eating constantly can get by with a smaller rumen capacity.
But flocks run intensively on controlled allocations where grazing competition is greater benefit from larger rumen capacity.
In my mind, this whole discussion is a big noise about a small issue. Especially in the face of the biggest threat world wide facing the sheep industry, that of chemical (drench) resistance by internal parasites.
For decades we have all had very cheap worm control options. Every sheep farming nation is seeing these chemicals losing their efficacy. In those countries where chemical combinations have been effective, these are now showing rapid failure with recorded flocks using 3 chemical combination drenches now experiencing 30% failure rates. No new chemicals are on the horizon and no pharmaceutical manufacturer is looking to solve this problem in sheep and goats. Sheep medicines are found from the results of research for human, cattle and pig health. In some cases from insecticidal research, such as Ivomec.
Breeding sheep for resistance to Worms would be a far better option for genetic improvement than against Methane. BUT, future demand of a woke world via large retailers will see otherwise.
A hill and upland (high country in NZ) farmer runs sheep more extensively, so sheep which graze on the move picking here and there, but eating constantly can get by with a smaller rumen capacity.
But flocks run intensively on controlled allocations where grazing competition is greater benefit from larger rumen capacity.
In my mind, this whole discussion is a big noise about a small issue. Especially in the face of the biggest threat world wide facing the sheep industry, that of chemical (drench) resistance by internal parasites.
For decades we have all had very cheap worm control options. Every sheep farming nation is seeing these chemicals losing their efficacy. In those countries where chemical combinations have been effective, these are now showing rapid failure with recorded flocks using 3 chemical combination drenches now experiencing 30% failure rates. No new chemicals are on the horizon and no pharmaceutical manufacturer is looking to solve this problem in sheep and goats. Sheep medicines are found from the results of research for human, cattle and pig health. In some cases from insecticidal research, such as Ivomec.
Breeding sheep for resistance to Worms would be a far better option for genetic improvement than against Methane. BUT, future demand of a woke world via large retailers will see otherwise.