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Methane, growth and carcase considerations when breeding for more efficient Merino sheep production
G Rose1, B Paganoni2, C Macleay2
1School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience
|November 4, 2024
Summary
Breeding Merino sheep for lower feed intake and methane production requires considering genetic links with growth and meat quality. Understanding these correlations is key for sustainable Australian sheep production.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genetics
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Feed intake, methane production, and feed efficiency are crucial for sustainable sheep production.
- Genetic correlations between production traits and environmental impact traits are complex.
- Balancing production goals with reduced environmental footprint is a key challenge in the Australian sheep industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations between feed intake, residual feed intake, methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, live weight, growth, and fat and muscle depth traits in Merino sheep.
- To inform breeding strategies for simultaneous improvement of production and environmental traits.
- To investigate the impact of body composition on feed efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.
Main Methods:
- Data collected from 2,717 Merino sheep in Western Australia (2010-2016) across postweaning, hogget, and adult ages.
- Genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for various production and efficiency traits.
- Fat and muscle depth measurements were corrected for live weight.
Main Results:
- Live weight and growth rate showed significant positive genetic correlations with feed intake, residual feed intake, methane, and carbon dioxide across all ages.
- Fat and muscle depth generally had negative genetic correlations with residual feed intake, feed intake, and methane.
- These negative correlations were stronger when fat and muscle were measured earlier in the feed intake period.
Conclusions:
- Breeding programs must account for the genetic correlations between production traits (growth, weight) and efficiency/environmental traits (feed intake, methane).
- Selection for lower feed intake and residual feed intake in young sheep may influence fat deposition.
- Fat and muscle depth are important considerations for accurately estimating residual feed intake, especially in younger animals, and for breeding programs aiming for dual-purpose goals.
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