NSW farmer and Studmaster John Niven [pictured] writes:
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I am writing in response to an article by Asa Wahlquist the Australian Newspaper ‘ R&D returns $11 for every $1‘
The claim by the Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations that $11- is returned for every $1- spent is blatantly incorrect. It is propaganda.
I am the Studmaster of “ Weddin ” Border Leicester sheep stud, West of Grenfell NSW. There are 283 Registered Border Leicester studs in Australia and a few top quality unregistered flocks that have minimal impact on genetic improvement.
Studmasters use a variety of tools for selection. They include Lambplan and Stockscan and various combination’s of weight recording and visual assessment. There is a liberal exchange of sires between flocks that use some of these tools.
With assistance from the stud book,anybody interested knows what sires are available.
Lambplan, sponsored by Meat and Livestock Australia, is a failed attempt to create a cartel and price gouge ram buyers.
Mesmerizing figures have been attached to rams that would be better off at the abattoirs. Less than 20 % of studs are now listed in Lambplan. Prime lamb producers are being lied to by MLA.
Levy money is not going to studmasters, who provide rams and then have to turn around and fund their own Research and Development. Even more obscene is the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre headed by Dr. John Keniry. It is to receive $111- million over seven years–only to observe and evaluate. Zero input to attempt genetic improvement, that is left to studmasters while they pay levies on stock sold as well.
Measurement should only be one of many tools, as one leading studmaster points out “At the end of the day Mother Nature has the final say”.
The propaganda attached to Lambplan is unbelievable. I use Stockscan and buyers can make what they like of measurement. Results compare more than favourably with other studs.
A few years ago I introduced a Lambplan measured ram and the progeny was a disaster with all lambs culled. Lambplan measured Border Leicester sheep are probably around the average, I have had more success from rams without Lambplan history.
This whole MLA and CRRDC money grab amounts to fraud. There is zero benefit to producers or consumers.
END
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Tags: Asa Wahlquist, Border Leicester, CRRDC, Dr John keniry, Grenfell, John Niven, Lambplan, MLA, sheep
