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The
Falkland Islands farming community has traditionally relied on a sheep
production system that has achieved national self-sufficiency in generating
replacement animals, while at the same time maximising wool output.
A number of sheep breeds have been trialled over the Islands' 150 year farming
history. The breed that generally best satisfied farming and economic needs for
much of this time was the Corriedale. Corriedale sheep were generally quite
hardy, fertile and produced mid-micron, mid-value wool. Unfortunately, over much
of the past two decades the profitability of Corriedale sheep systems has been
declining. Returns from the 26 to 28 micron wool clip produced from Corriedale
sheep were no longer adequate to cover farming needs.
In response to changing global economic conditions (and hence demand for wool)
the Falkland Islands Government embarked on a massive genetic improvement
programme in the early 1990's. Several hundred live Polwarth stud sheep were
imported into the Falkland Islands and became the nucleus of the Falkland
Islands National Stud Flock (NSF).
The NSF remains today and continues to be managed and improved as a pure,
pedigree, performance recorded Polwarth flock. It achieved the aims specified in
1990/1991; to reduce the fibre diameter of sheep in the Islands, which at the
same time retaining as many of the traits of existing sheep (hardiness,
fertility etc) as possible. The introduction of the NSF has been instrumental in
achieving a reduction in the average fibre diameter of the national flock from
approximately 27.5 micron in 1990 to an estimated 26 micron in 2005.
Economic reality has demanded further changes to the type of sheep being run on
camps in the Falklands. In response to increasing pressure, farmers, with the
technical assistant and guidance of the DOA, have embarked on a new programme of
genetic improvement. Farmers have scoured the world in an attempt to identify
with dual purpose sheep breeds that offer profit enhancing potential.
Latest reproductive technology is being utilised (fresh/frozen embryo transfer,
laparoscopic/cervical artificial insemination) to introduce and propagate new
breeds as quickly as possible. Once established, the populations of new sheep
breeds will be critically reviewed as both pure lines and as crosses with local
sheep to determine if any gains can be made over existing local sheep types.
New breeds under investigation include:
- Dohne Merino (South Africa & Australia)
- SAMM (Australia, South Africa & New Zealand)
- Multi-Purpose Merino (Australia)
- Cormo (Australia)
All of the breeds under evaluation have been selected because they offer scope
to become self replacing ewe flocks, have 20 to 24 micron wool of high value
(all sold as Merino wool) and have improved meat characteristics.
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