Sheep disease limited as breeding improves

Keep tabs on spore counts and get on top of facial eczema.

New Zealand's largest red meat genetics company is testing more sheep than ever in an effort to reduce the spread of facial eczema.

Focus Genetics chief executive Gavin Foulsham says they aim to breed rams resistant to facial eczema.

"We have been testing for facial eczema resistance for over 20 years and we are now seeing the benefit of continued selection. But we need to keep improving our genetics and keep on top of facial eczema, which is becoming more prevalent in many areas throughout the North Island.

"Facial eczema resistance is a highly heritable trait so farmers can significantly manage the disease in their ewe flocks by selecting for facial eczema-tolerant rams."

Sheep pick up the disease by ingesting fungal spores in the pasture. It attacks the liver and affects their metabolism. It affects fertility, meat production, wool production and growth rates, as well as animal welfare. Farmers can lose a significant number of ewes.

Focus Genetics senior animal breeding scientist Geoff Nicoll says the company has tested its Romney rams extensively over the past 23 years and its Highlander rams over the past six years.

"We test mainly young rams as hoggets in autumn and we use the selected rams to sire the next generation. This ensures we are getting better genetic resistance. We test more rams than any breeder in the country."

And the intensive programme is paying off with Sheep Improvement Limited (SIL) ranking Focus Genetics rams as the top five highest facial eczema resistant rams in the country.

Facial eczema is most prevalent in late summer and early autumn when the weather is more humid.

It's a real concern in Northland, the central and upper North Island as well as the East Coast.

King Country farmer Roger Beck has been using facial eczema-resistant rams over his Romney ewe flock for 20 years and says he has never had a problem with the disease even though it's prevalent in the Taumarunui area.

"Now we have a flock which is resistant to facial eczema. It's a disease which limits production significantly, so if you can do something about it, you should."

Beck runs 3300 Romney ewes and uses Romney and Primera rams from Focus Genetics.

"This combination works really well because we can get the high fertility and facial eczema resistance through the Romney and then we get the high yield and high growth rates from the Primera too."

Focus Genetics Romney breeder Ken Burt says facial eczema has always been a prime driver on his Romney stud.

"We need to be so much more conscious these days because there are facial eczema hot spots all over the country."