Session 1 - What does the future hold for the sheep industry and breeding programs?

The MLA genetics landscape (30 min)

Dr Daniel Brown Sheep Genetics Manager

The challenges and the opportunities with sheep breeding (30 min)

Jamie Heinrich Ella Matta White Suffolk and Poll Merino Stud

The genetic project scene (30 min)

Co-chairs: James Taylor and Emma McCrabb – Sheep Genetics Development Officers

Short presentation followed by Q&A panel with presenters:

• Dr Troy Fischer The SuperWhite Producer Innovation Fast Track project

• Peter Blackwood Corriedale Eating Quality Genomics

• Mark Mortimer Merinolink DNA Stimulation Project

• Professor Julius van der Werf MLA Resource Flock

Session 2 - Breeding within an integrated supply chain

Connecting the customer to farmer (30 min)

Natalie Isaac Global Manager – Industry Insights and Strategy, MLA

Data capture and feedback - The Almtech Project (30 min)

Dr Sarita Guy Postdoctoral Research Fellow , AGBU

Breeding for consumer outcomes (20 min)

Phil Clothier Woolumbool Sheep Studs

Session 3 - Breeding for welfare and reproduction 

Recap of day one

Chair – Richard Apps 

Reproduction and welfare in industry (20 min)

Peta Bradley Sheep Genetics – Senior Development Officer, MLA

Enabling genetic improvement of reproduction in tropical beef cattle (Repronomics project) (30 min)

Dr David Johnston Principal Scientist, AGBU

Introducing Sheep Genetics’ new reproduction RBVs (30 min)

Dr Kim Bunter Principal Scientist, AGBU

Breeding for reproduction – A breeder perspective (20 min)

Lynton Arney Inverbrackie Border Leicester Stud

Session 4 - Creating opportunities through genetics

Maternal efficiency in future breeding programs (25 min)

Sarah Blumer Murdoch University 

Selecting sheep for the future (25 min)

Dr Andrew Swan Principal Scientist, AGBU

A Resource Flock of the future (25 min)

Hamish Chandler Program Manager – Genetics, MLA

A breeder’s role in the National Adoption Plan (25 min)

Clara Bradford National Adoption Manager – Genetics, MLA