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Technology aids lamb production TUATAPERE _ In the late 1990s new sheep breeds were being introduced into New Zealand to help lift fertility and production levels in the national sheep flocks. The Alliance Group started trials on how the new sheep crosses would perform and how they would change the lamb carcase conformations, including fat cover and inconsistency of shape. The company introduced initiatives into the meat industry, which included a central progeny test and yield grading to help producers identify the best genetics for comparisons to be made between rams, regardless of their breed and to assist the farmer to choose rams that best suited their own breeding needs and objectives. In a major step forward in technology, Alliance installed objective yield grading systems on all sheep and lamb chains for the start of the 2005-06 season. The technology would enable the meat works to supply accurate information back to the farmer on individual animal performance, which would allow the farmer to select and produce lambs for better returns. The company rewards farmers for producing the ideal lamb and the next step is to be able to measure carcase performance and payments on a yield-based system using the ViaScan technology. The ViaScan is located at the end of the slaughter chain, with the carcase passing through guide rails that ensure the best presentation of the carcase to the camera. The image is then stored on computer to be analysed on the basis of colour. Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) can be linked to a genetic database of sire-dam combinations and help speed up genetic improvements.Yield-based payments would be introduced to the end-of-year pool results for the 2005-06 season. Yield-based payments were outlined at the Mount Linton Station open day..
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