THE sun was out for the annual Muresk Merino sire evaluation trial inspection day recently.
As a result of COVID-19 and the Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days being cancelled, this year's sire evaluation trial day was held at the Muresk Institute for the first time.
The event was open to the public with onlookers and breeders assessing the latest trial results.
Muresk site chairman Brett Jones said attendance on the day was good, especially with the Curtin students showing up for the morning portion of the day.
"Interest from Merino breeders has increased year-on-year," Mr Jones said.
The sire evaluation trial compares the breeding performance of a sire by evaluating his progeny.
The sires are joined to a consistent ewe base via an AI program, with the progeny being evaluated to assess the sires breeding performance.
The Muresk trial started in 2016 and is just one of 11 Merino sire sites located across Australia.
The objective is to breed an easy to care for sheep with good constitution and conformation.
The sheep are to have a medium-large frame along with bright white, stylish wool free from faults.
The Muresk trial includes progeny from 12 Merino stud sires; Barloo, Calcaling, Claypans, Eastville Park, Ejanding, Gunallo, Karabein, Nepowie, Nerstane, Parakeelya, Pyramid Poll and Seven Oaks South.
At this year's inspection day the latest results for the 2019 sire progeny were released.
The progeny were shorn on the day with their fleece weights being recorded and put on display for inspection.
A fleece weight was recorded for each individual sheep before the results were combined for an average fleece weight from each sire group.
The average fleece weights for each group were as follows:
Barloo (170475) 4.45kg, Calcaling (160074) 3.76kg, Claypans (170632) 4.43kg, Eastville Park (160611) 4.32kg, Ejanding (176367) 4.32kg, Gunallo (170295) 4.46kg, Karabein (150145) 4.14kg, Nepowie (170002) 4.43kg, Nerstane (150073) 4.24kg, Parakeelya (150286) 4.13kg, Pyramid Polls (170388) 4.40kg and Seven Oaks South (170711) 4.37kg.
These results were then added to the data that had already been collected to date in the trial.
Traits that data has been collected on include wool quality characteristics such as fibre diameter/micron, staple length and strength, and weight and carcase characteristics are also measured and include body weight, eye muscle depth and fat depth.
A visual trait assessment (score 1-5) and classer's grade is also recorded for each progeny group.
The sheep are assessed at various growth/age stages for different traits including marking, weaning, early post-weaning, post-weaning, yearling, hogget and adult.
Mr Jones said the sheep were in ideal commercial condition.
Having been shorn the sire groups were then penned outside the shearing shed along with their results tables for people to view before lunch.
