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Development | Characteristics |
Rams | Fertility |
Mothering Ability | Wool |
Exports | Measured Gene Research |
Performance Recording |
Group Breeding Schemes |
Visual Assessment
BREED STANDARDS THE
FIRST 25 YEARS
"POLL DORSETS LEAD THE LAMB INDUSTRY...
AND SIRE 75% OF LAMB PRODUCED ANNUALLY"
The Poll Dorset is the largest terminal prime lamb sire breed in Australia
- supplying over 75% of prime lambs required annually by the industry.
As such, the dynamics within the breed and competition amongst studmasters
has resulted in the rapid evolution of their sheep in meeting the requirements
of today's changing lamb market.
The large genetic pool has allowed studmasters to identify superior traits
within the breed, and rapidly respond to customers demands.
New technologies have allowed breeders to ascertain the qualities of
their breeding stock by examining hereditary traits, thereby improving
carcase quality, to give today's lamb producers the commercial edge.
The Poll Dorset breed was developed in Australia for Australian
conditions and has proven a top performer.
The characteristics of the breed such as rapid growth, superior
fleshing, muscular development, and leanness, make Poll Dorsets ideally
suited to the meat trade.
Additionally, they are renowned for superior taste and tenderness,
which is inherent in the Poll Dorset sired carcases.
For the prime lamb producer, the modern Poll Dorset offers
ease of lambing... the ability to overcome adverse seasonal conditions
to finish stock as a prime article... and has great appeal in the marketplace.
RAMS
Start work at an early age and have the ability to sire quality prime
lambs from any breed of ewe.
The purebred Poll Dorset lamb has a phenomenal growth rate, and rams can
exceed 100kg at 12 months of age
FERTILITY
It is an early maturing, very prolific breed, lambing of 120% being fairly
normal
The Poll Dorset is capable of breeding at all times of the year and from
a young age. It can be used in widely different climatic conditions from
sub-tropics to the cold highlands.
MOTHERING ABILITY
The Poll Dorset ewe is an excellent mother with outstanding milking ability
and has no difficulty in rearing single, or twin lambs. Lambs weaned at
14-16 weeks can exceed 60kg.
WOOL
Clean and white - a big economic advantage over breeds with black points.
The dense Downs-type short wool of around 30 microns is used for its blending
qualities, adding the sponginess of its fibre to the product, eg. pillows,
doonas and quilts, futons, bulky pullovers, sport coats etc.
PERFORMANCE RECORDING
The breed has responded to the challenge of change over the past decade,
having become a larger, longer and leaner animal, with excellent growth
rates and muscling.
Poll Dorset breeders were prime movers in establishing the
now national LAMBPLAN performance recording scheme, and are subsequently
the main users of it.
Poll Dorsets dominated the top 10 placings in Australian Central Progeny
Test results when they were run from 1991-95, heading the State list in
SA, NSW, VIC and WA.
Four of the top 5 placings including 'first', were won by Poll Dorset
sires in these LAMBPLAN CPT results, the prime lamb industry's most extensive
sire-testing scheme.
The Central Progeny Test identifies outstanding meat sheep sires on the
basis of their ability to sire fast-growing, heavy, lean lambs.
Average weight and carcase yield are improving with the use of genetic
and performance programs such as Lambplan, Stockscan or Primescan, and
through improved nutrition and management. The success of the breed in
the production of large, lean lambs both commercially and in carcase competitions,
is due to its high yielding carcases, with excellent eye muscling and
an excellent ratio of lean meat to fat.
EXPORTS
Exports sales continue such as China, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Malaysia,
United Kingdom, Africa, and North & South America.
Poll Dorset sheep are available throughout Australia in relatively large
numbers.
In 1992, the Australian Poll Dorset Association, in conjunction
with the Meat Research Corporation, set up the 'Poll Dorset Meat Elite
Flock'.
The purpose was to use the latest technologies to identify superior genetic
seedstock in the breed to benefit all producers; and to provide a coordinated
focus of research and development activity into the prime lamb industry.
The project has been of enormous benefit to Poll Dorset breeders in helping
to identify the various trait leaders for high growth rate, muscle, size
and physical soundness.
Numerous Group Breeding Schemes have also been formed amongst
studmasters. These schemes range from a loose confederation of breeders
syndicating rams, to large groups sharing their top genetic material and
drawing the best performing animals to use in their individual studs.
The traditional art of the studmaster is still of great
importance, with visual assessment, line breeding and corrective mating,
and the constant appraisal of conformation, contributing to the continuing
development of the breed.
The studmaster is always building on the adaptability of the breed to
ensure that... "Poll Dorset rams cross with all other breeds to produce
well muscled, quality prime lamb carcases."
BREED STANDARDS
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