A COVID-19 update from B+LNZ Genetics
Friday 27th March 2020
The information below provides an update on the following activities at B+LNZ Genetics in response to Covid-19 restrictions.
Key points:
- SIL/nProve operations will continue as normal.
- Events: The Low Input Progeny Test Field Day and Sheep Breeder Forum are cancelled.
- Beef Progeny Test: Pregnancy scanning has been completed at all but one of the beef sites. This remains planned for mid-April.
- Sheep Progeny Test: The AI programme at some sites cannot go ahead. Natural mating is being planned as an alternative.
- Carcass measurements: Some carcass data hasn’t been collected for the Sheep Progeny Test Cohort 2019, due to restrictions at processing plants.
- DNA Parentage flocks & Fetal Aging may be affected by COVID-19 restrictions. SIL relies on this data to correct early lamb growth data for differences in lamb age. Additional ways to help estimate age are provided.
Our main priority is keeping farmers, food producers, staff and their communities healthy and safe. Guidance and useful resources for farmers operating as an essential service is available on the Beef + Lamb New Zealand website.
SIL/nProve services
The operation of SIL/nProve will continue as normal. Preparations were put in place for staff to work from home, prior to the lockdown. This means our team can access and manage the required infrastructure to keep SIL/nProve functioning during this period.
NZGE reports and RamFinder updates will continue as planned. The next evaluation run is scheduled for the beginning of April.
If you have any questions or problems with your data on SIL, the best ways to reach us are:
Phone: 0800 745 435 | Email: silhelp@sil.co.nz or techsupport@blnzgenetics.com
Events
The Sheep Breeder Forum and Low Input Progeny Test Field Day have been cancelled. We are taking a cautious approach and have postponed all face to face events until further notice. Our team is exploring other ways to deliver the content planned for these events to you: such as social media; potential delivery of a ‘virtual forum’; webinars; and emails.
Beef Progeny Test
Our Beef Progeny Test programme has been relatively unaffected with mating already completed at all sites.
Pregnancy scanning has been carried out at 2 of the 3 sites, with the last site due for scanning in mid-April. As pregnancy scanning is deemed an essential service due to animal welfare requirements, it is still scheduled to happen.
The Dairy-Beef Progeny Test programme is continuing as planned. We are in the process of putting together a Pregnancy Scanning report and plan to distribute this early next week.
Sheep Progeny Test
We have had to review the mating programmes at all sites, in response to the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown.
Artificial insemination (AI) has been classed as an essential service by commercial providers. However, AI for the purposes of research is not considered essential during the lockdown period.
After much discussion, it has been confirmed that the AI programme can go ahead on the commercial farm at Glenside, as well as a smaller AI programme at the Low Input site in Geraldine, but not at the Invermay research site or the South Island Genomic Calibration (SIGC) site.
At this stage, the proposed approach at each of the progeny test sites is:
- Glenside (HUB): Full AI programme. This involves 520 ewes over 2 days, beginning Monday 6 April. This site will evaluate 8 maternal sires in 2020.
- Invermay (HUB): No AI programme. Instead, 850 ewes will be mated naturally, beginning Monday 6 April. We will evaluate 4 maternal sires and up to 6 well-linked research sires to provide the best linkage possible under these circumstances, and relevant replacement ewe lambs for 2020.
- SIGC site: No AI programme. Instead, 800 ewes will be mated naturally, beginning Wednesday 15 April. Linkage will be arranged by sharing of local, well-linked research sires.
- Low Input site: A smaller AI programme involving 300 ewes and 6 rams. The remaining 700 ewes will be mated naturally, beginning Wednesday 15 April. This site will evaluate 6 maternal sires by AI and as many additional local sires that can be supplied for natural mating (currently expected to be 14 rams total).
Sires who have had semen collected that is not able to be used in 2020 will be prioritised for use in 2021. You can ask us to store the semen for this, or you can have the semen returned to you.
How could the revised mating programme affect Sheep Breeders?
Sharing rams to improve connectedness could be very difficult this season due to COVID-19 restrictions. B+LNZ Genetics recommends looking after your connectedness every second year, but with challenges faced this season it may be easier to consider connectedness in 2021 instead.
Check with your bureau or B+LNZ Genetics if you have questions about how you are connected to the main NZGE grouping.
For info on the principle of connectedness refer to the Best Practice Guide
Impact on terminal sires
We’ve made the difficult decision not to assess terminal sires this year in order to prioritise as many maternal sires as possible. Terminal sires will still be assessed through the SIGC and PML progeny test sites this year. Linkage will be re-established for terminal sires and these progeny test sites through the HUB mating programme in 2021.
Carcass measurements affected for Cohort 2019
Carcass measurements have been completed for both Hub sites. However, WRIG and Smedley carcass data hasn’t been collected due to restrictions faced by processing plants during the lockdown period. The Low Input site is due to be collected in late May and could still be affected by lockdown restrictions.
We would like to acknowledge the efforts made by Alliance, and the WRIG and Smedley graziers to try collect this data for us, in the face of an evolving coronavirus situation and under drought conditions in the region.
All sites have managed to capture ultrasound eye-muscle scanning data, which will provide connectedness for meat yield.
DNA Parentage Flocks and Fetal Aging
To correct early lamb growth measures for differences in lamb age, we need to be able to group the birthdate of lambs in at least 10-day intervals. Without these corrections, significant errors in breeding values are observed.
Although there are local scanners capable of Fetal Aging, there are many breeders that rely on international expertise for this measurement. COVID-19 restrictions are likely to make this difficult. Even in the best of years, with access to accurate fetal aging capable pregnancy scanning services, it is wise to aid the estimate of age using;
Ram crayon harnesses changed (or checked) every 7 days. If mating has begun, perhaps consider adding harnesses to identify the late-mated ewes.
In spring, shedding lambed ewes from pregnant ewes at 10-day intervals can help identify lambs that belong to the same 10-day age group (mob).
More information can be found in our Best Practice Guide
This is an evolving situation. We will be constantly reviewing our approach and keeping our community of breeders, service providers and research partners updated.
If you have any questions or concerns you can email us at info@blnzgenetics.com
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