This is the fourth presentation from a six-part webinar series on the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP). The presenter is Bill Shultz, an Ohio Suffolk breeder. The presentation was given on May 22, 2014.

1. Challenges of Moving to a
Performance Based Flock:
Experiences from the Field
Bill Shultz

2. FULL DISCLOSURE
• I am not a scientist versed in the theory of
quantitative genetics
• I am a breeder who focused for the past 50 years on
raising traditional purebred registered sheep
• I faced many challenges changing to a performance
based flock
• Many of my thoughts may be anecdotal, but they are
based on my experiences
• I hope that they will be helpful

3. SIXTY
YEARS…
…CAN
MAKE
FOR
HARD TO
BREAK
HABITS

4. MY REASON FOR CHANGING
•Belief that purebred breeders should be the catalyst
for genetic change for the commercial sheep industry
•Loss of focus by our major breeds to address the
needs of the commercial producer
•The speed of genetic change though the use of EBVs
as demonstrated by other species

5. MY THREE BIGGEST CHALLENGES
1. Disappointment in my results in the early
years
2. My better management didn’t make better
numbers!
3. It’s hard changing selection criteria!

6. CHALLENGE #1: Disappointing Results
I thought I had a “LAKE WO-BE-GON” flock, where:
all my rams grew like weeds,
all my ewes milked like cows, and
all my lambs were above average…

7. THE COMPUTER DOESN’T CARE…
…that I had been breeding sheep for 50 years
…that I had exhibited champions from coast to coast
…that I paid high dollars for Champion rams
…that I was recognized as a an elite breeder
THE COMPUTER DOESN’T CARE !!!

8. THE NSIP COMPUTER…
…thinks that your sheep are average, until you
can prove differently with quality data

9. THREE REASONS FOR MY
DISSAPOINTMENT…
1. My sheep weren’t as good as I thought
2. I was not very patient
3. I did not have any genetic links

10. My
BIG FAT LOSER
The sire of
champions

11. My
LUCKY WINNER
The sire of
performance
Plus
Genetic links

12. GENETIC LINKS
• The pedigree connection between sheep
• Genetic links connect your flock with other flocks

13. WAYS TO CREATE GENETIC LINKS
1. Buy a young Stud from an NSIP flock (most
common)
2. Share a Stud with an NSIP flock (most preferred)
• Use an older proven Stud
• Purchase a Stud jointly
• Use artificial insemination

14. BUY, BEG, LEASE or STEAL
Whatever it takes, find a way to exchange
genetics with a participating NSIP flock

15. DON’T BE A BUTTHEAD, FIND A
FRIEND OR TWO
•Develop a relationship with a NSIP breeder or two
who share your vision and goals
•Regularly share Rams (and Ideas)

16. CHALLENGE #2:
Better Management Doesn’t
Lead to Better Numbers
The fallacy of what I learned in 4-H: Better
husbandry does NOT make a better sheep.

17. YOU CAN’T MANAGE FOR HIGHER
EBVs
• In the show-ring philosophy, feeding and
management after a lamb is born is just as important
as genetics
• In the NSIP philosophy, one of the goals is to reduce
the impact of management and environmental factors
when comparing animals

18. MY AH-HA MOMENT
•That all true BREEDING VALUES are set at
conception
•You can’t change them

19. HOWEVER, MANAGEMENT STILL
MATTERS
Better management can’t change BV’s however it can
improve the accuracy our EBVs ( our estimates of true
breeding values)

20. WHY ARE ACCURACIES
IMPORTANT ?
•Higher accuracies help you make better selection
decisions
•Which ewes to keep as replacements
•Which Rams to use as Sires
• Higher accuracies mean the sheep you sell perform
as advertised
•Happy repeat customers

21. KEYS TO MORE ACCURATE EBVs
•Develop strong contemporary group strategies
•A contemporary group is a set of lambs from
your farm that are all managed the same

22. THE CONTEMPORARY GROUP IS THE
BASIS OF ALL COMPARISONS
1)All other comparisons are made though genetic
links
2) No comparisons can be made between flocks
or contemporary groups unless you have genetic
links

23. My three tips for stronger
contemporaries
• Shorten lambing periods
• Use at least two rams in each contemporary group
• Use a proven ram in each group

24. • Comparing your raw data to your neighbors
• Comparing this year’s data to last years data
DANGER!!!

25. DON’T INCREASE YOUR HAT SIZE
Resist the temptation to
quote raw data

26. CHALLENGE #3:
Thinking Function Not Form
1) It’s not a beauty contest
2) If it works keep it

27. My old traditional way of sheep selection
BIG, THICK, HEAVY BONED SHEEP = FAST GROWING, HEAVY
MUSCLED SHEEP
LET FUNCTION DESCRIBE FORM

28. My new standard
LAMBS THAT WEIGH MORE AND SCAN LARGER LOIN EYE
MUSCLE = FAST GROWING, HEAVY MUSCLED SHEEP
LET FUNCTION DESCRIBE FORM

29. TRANSFORMING MY SELECTION
PROCESS
THE OLD
1) Identify my top lambs early and watch them grow
2) After EBVs are back adjust who my top lambs are
3) Make final ranking of lambs
THE NEW
1) Do nothing until EBVs are back
2) Select top performing lambs based on EBVs
3) Adjust ranking based on appearance
4) Make final ranking

30. •Set acceptable standards for traits such as: breed
character, eyes, mouths, testicles, udders, feet and
legs
•They either meet the standard or are off to slaughter
TRANSFORMING MY SELECTION
PROCESS

31. CAN I SHOW AND BE ON NSIP?
YES, BUT…
Be realistic with your expectations

32. WE TRIED TO DO BOTH
(WE FAILED)
• We could not move fast enough with our EBVs for
performance traits
• We looked at what was happening in the beef
industry with commercial bull producers

33. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR SUFFOLKS
SHOW
•FRAME SIZE
•FEET AND LEG
CORRECTNESS
•PROFILE, STYLE,
BALANCE
•BREED TYPE
PERFORMANCE
•GROWTH
•MUSCLE
•FEET AND LEG
CORRECTNESS

34. • Marked improvement in the productivity of your
show flock
• Difficulty in keeping pace with strictly performance
oriented flocks
WHAT TO EXPECT

35. LAST ARROW IN MY QUIVER
With EBVs we have the opportunity to create a new
paradigm in how we view and select our sheep. If we wish to
meet the demands of our ever changing industry we must be
willing to change.
IT WILL DEMAND BREAKING MANY HABITS
LONG PRACTICED

36. Genetic selection 1974
Champion Suffolk Ram Eastern Stud Ram Sale

37. Genetic selection 2014
High indexing Suffolk ram

38. Questions?
Bill Shultz
bunkerhillfarm@gmail.com
www.bunkerhill-farm.com