RESILIENCE IN MERINO SHEEP - INCLUDING FLYSTRIKE

This project aims to build on results from the AWI funded project, ON-00511 MLPAO Resilience in Merino Sheep, to further validate the benefits of selecting for improved resilience in Merino sheep and provide flystrike phenotypes and genotypes to the AWI Flystrike Genomic Flock from this project and from ON 511. It will do this by: 1. Determining if it is possible to identify Merino sheep, early in life, which are resilient and better able to cope with challenges posed by their production environment later in life. 2. Investigating if similar benefits from identifying resilient animals are achievable in extensive grazing systems, typical of the Australian Merino sheep industry, as has been observed in intensive production systems. 3.Provide data to the AWI Genomic Flystrike Flock Such benefits will be assessed in terms of improved health and welfare, reduced management costs and improved productivity.