SHEEP GENETICS
SX FINE WOOL
The Cleardale SX Fine Wool is purposefully bred to thrive in all climates. The Cleardale SX Fine Wool will breed ewes with a 21-25 micron fleece and will be able to handle wet conditions for considerable periods of time without major health issues.
Emphasis is placed on reproduction and selection for muscle and fat, which are correlated with improved reproduction outcomes. The intention is that by 2025 the Cleardale SX Fine Wool will be weaning 100% lambs/ewes joined as a hogget and weaning 140% (175% scanning) as an adult. The ewes will be capable of being shorn twice a year and hitting a minimum 70mm staple length each time. The lamb will be able to be shorn (and get 70mm fibre) before their first winter.
All wool is able to be sold on NZ Merino contracts.
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Rams for sale by auction, on farm at Cleardale.
Monday 27 January 2025 at 1pm
MERINO
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The Cleardale Merino has been bred by the family for nearly 100 years. Cleardale has always focused on a dual purpose merino with plain bodies and heavy cutting soft handling medium wool. This continues to be our focus with a current push for fertility, growth, and carcass.
The intention is that by 2025 the Cleardale Poll Merino will be using only poll rams for breeding purposes, will be weaning 130% (165% scanning) as an adult and will be 65kg at condition score three. Ewes will be clipping 6.5kg of 20.5 Micron wool per SSU.
All wool is sold on NZ Merino contracts.
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Rams available by Private Sale from 28 January 2025
TECHNOLOGY
All SX Fine Wool and Merino sires are tested with HD50K (a genomic product that assesses the genetic makeup of an animal at thousands of locations across the animal’s genome).
We conduct both industry and within stud progeny testing to get better genetic linkages and improve the accuracy of the data on our sires. We also use MateSel to optimise mating for genetic progress across the sheep operation.
We use ASBVs as a tool to help designing a better, more refined sheep for tomorrow and are continually striving to improve profitability for the commercial farmer.
We are the top performing flock for footrot (FR) resistance in New Zealand.
Use of the DP+ and MP+ Indexes allows us to select and breed a balanced animal that's fit for purpose in the high country environment.
FOOTROT RESISTANCE
Cleardale is one of the top performing flocks for footrot resistance in New Zealand.
The trait ‘susceptibility to footrot’ is quoted as FR.
FR describes a sheep’s susceptibility to footrot using it’s genetic difference in footrot score.
This score measures how well a sheep retains foot health under a challenge with virulent footrot.
SHEEP GENETICS INDEXES
Indexes help you select animals for use within a breeding program when there are many traits of importance.
Using indexes in your ram purchasing decisions allows you to make balanced genetic progress towards more profitable sheep for your production system. A ram with a higher index will produce progeny that are more profitable in that production system.