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Genetic
Improvement Programme
 Sheep
production in the Falkland Islands is based on a self replacing flock producing
meat and wool. In the past the key focus was on wool production with meat
(mutton) being a secondary product sourced from older animals.
A number of sheep breeds have been used over the Islands’ 150 year plus farming
history. For much of this time, the Corriedale was the breed that was considered
the best fit for the climate and extensive grazing system of the Falkland
Islands. First developed in New Zealand, the Corriedale is a Merino crossed with
a Lincoln. They are considered to be hardy, adapted to a wide range of
conditions and slightly more fertile than the purebred Merinos. Essentially they
are dual purpose producing strong wool (25 – 32 microns) and mutton. Ewes can
often be used as prime lamb mothers.
Over the past two decades and in line with global trends, the profitability of
enterprises producing strong wool and mutton has been in decline. In response to
these changing global economic conditions, the Falkland Islands government
embarked on a genetic improvement programme beginning in the early 1990’s and
continuing today. The programmes aim was to reduce the fibre diameter of the
flock while maintaining fleece weight and bodyweight.
The process used in the early stages of this programme was the importation of
several hundred live Polwarth stud sheep, which formed the nucleus of the
National Stud Flock (NSF). The NSF remains today and is a pedigree and
performance recorded flock. The main selection criteria for animals is based on
the key production traits of fibre diameter, fleece weight, bodyweight and
fertility. This objective selection is combined with key visual assessments of
structure, wool quality (style), face cover and pigmented fibres. A new
production trait relating to internal parasite resistance was included in 2008.
The introduction of the NSF and the production of seedstock for the Falkland
Island sheep industry have been instrumental in achieving a reduction in the
average fibre diameter of the national flock from approximately 27.5 micron in
1990 to approximately 25 micron in 2008.
 The
process used in the latter stages of this programme has been to expand the breed
base by introducing new breeds. This has included breeds such as Dohne Merino,
South African Meat Merino (SAMM), Afrino, fine and medium wool Merinos, Cormos
(comeback), Pool Dorset, Texel and Suffolk. The latest reproductive technologies
of fresh and frozen embryo transfer along with laproscopic and cervical
artificial insemination (AI) have been used to propagate the breeds as quickly
as possible and build sufficient critical mass for the Falkland Islands to be
self sufficient. This has been done in response to changes within the domestic
meat industry and the continued global trend towards finer fibre diameter. All
animals used in the latter stage have been selected on their performance data
(estimated breeding values when available) with a selection of the dual purpose
breeds being monitored to measure their performance and adaptation to the
Falkland Islands farming environment. The aim is to integrate the purebreds into
the national flock to aid its future development by continuing its dual purpose
production focus and provide the capability to produce lamb as well as mutton.
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