Work

Shedding Shearing Costs: Developing a Self‐Shedding Flock Through a Romney × Wiltshire Crossbreeding Programme

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A long‐term study was started in 2020 to monitor the transition of a Romney‐based flock to a fully‐shedding flock as a potential strategy to reduce shearing costs. Romney ewes ( n = 400) were bred to Wiltshire rams, alongside a control group of Romney ewes ( n = 200) bred to Romney rams. Each subsequent Wiltshire‐cross generation was then backcrossed to Wiltshire rams to progressively increase the Wiltshire genetic composition. Between 2020 and 2025, Wiltshire‐cross lambs were produced with , , , and Wiltshire genetics. Measures of productivity were recorded including lamb live weight at birth, mid‐lactation and weaning, and at key management events thereafter. Shedding scores of lambs and hoggets were recorded using a 0–5 scale. The results to date indicate that Wiltshire‐cross lambs growth rates to weaning were comparable to Romney lambs; however, Wiltshire‐cross lambs were the heaviest cohort compared with other Wiltshire crosses ( p < 0.05). Three quarter Wiltshire‐cross lambs showed significantly greater survival than Romney lambs (OR = 1.82, p = 0.0016), although no differences were observed among other crosses ( p > 0.05). Wiltshire‐cross lambs showed increasing shedding scores with increasing Wiltshire proportion. Lamb fleece weight was negatively correlated with lamb shedding score ( r = −0.556, p < 0.0001). These results indicate that a grading up approach is a promising method to transition from a non‐shedding coarse‐wool flock to a fully‐shedding flock. Further evaluation of upgrading over time is needed to determine lifetime productivity and profitability impacts.

Source: New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

DOI: 10.1002/jag2.70101