ANNUAL OUTCOMES REPORT
2025-2026
Welcome to the annual report where we highlight achievements throughout the year
Welcome to the annual report where we highlight achievements throughout the year
Welcome to the Sheep Genetics Annual Outcomes Report for 2025-26. This report provides an overview of the program's key achievements, activities and outcomes over the past year, highlighting the value delivered through the collective efforts of breeders, service providers, industry partners and the Sheep Genetics team.
Throughout 2025-26, Sheep Genetics continued to support genetic improvement across the Australian sheep and goat industries through the delivery of the LAMBPLAN, MERINOSELECT and KIDPLAN evaluations. These services provide producers with trusted genetic information to make informed breeding decisions, helping to improve productivity, profitability and sustainability across the supply chain.
The progress outlined in this report reflects the commitment of our members and stakeholders, whose participation and collaboration are fundamental to the success of the program. We thank everyone involved for their ongoing support and contribution and look forward to continuing to deliver industry-leading genetic improvement services in the years ahead.
Nicole Williams
Operations Manager, Sheep Genetics
Sheep Genetics provides genetic evaluation services for Australia’s sheep and goat industries.
Assisting producers in breeding or purchasing animals by offering Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) through
As well as Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) via
Since its establishment in 2005, this service, operated by Meat & Livestock Australia, has been providing tools and information to help improve animal breeding.
Sheep Genetics run LAMBPLAN and MERINOSELECT genetic evaluations bi-monthly, which involves a significant amount of data from pedigree information, on-farm phenotypes, genotypes, as well as research data to calculate Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) for multiple trait groups.
Click the more information link below to access information on:
Throughout 2025-26, the Sheep Genetics team worked closely with breeders, service providers, researchers and industry partners to support the adoption of genetic technologies, improve data quality, and accelerate genetic gain across the Australian sheep industry.
Through workshops, conferences, training programs, industry forums and stakeholder meetings, the team provided education, technical support and extension activities that helped producers and industry participants better understand and apply Sheep Genetics information within their breeding programs.
The key engagement activities and outcomes delivered during the year are summarised on the link below.
High-quality data is critical to achieving higher rates of genetic gain. Accurate and complete flock information improves the accuracy of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), enabling breeders to make more informed selection decisions and accelerate genetic progress.
To support this, Sheep Genetics provides members with a Data Quality Score (DQS) Report, which measures and highlights the key factors that influence the quality and effectiveness of genetic evaluations. The report helps breeders identify strengths, prioritise areas for improvement, and maximise the value of the data they contribute to the Sheep Genetics analysis.
Investment in livestock genetics research and development is fundamental to ensuring Australian sheep producers continue to benefit from world-leading genetic evaluation tools and technologies.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) currently invests in a broad portfolio of livestock genetics research projects across both the sheep and beef industries. These investments are managed by MLA's Genetics team, which works closely with Sheep Genetics to ensure research outcomes are effectively translated into practical tools, services, and resources for industry.
This close connection between research, development, extension, and adoption provides a clear pathway from scientific discovery through to on-farm implementation, helping producers realise the value of genetic innovations more quickly.
Sheep Genetics clients and service providers have been busy in the last year working hard to communicate the importance of genetics and how people can improve their productivity and profitability using genetic selection. A whole suite of media articles and publications were released across the past 12 months on genetics in the field, including:
Over the past 12 months, the Sheep Genetics team has continued to develop and update a range of educational resources designed to help producers better understand Sheep Genetics, Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), and the application of genetic information within their breeding programs.
These resources provide practical guidance on genetic selection, data recording, genomic technologies, and breeding program design, helping producers make more informed decisions and maximise rates of genetic gain within their flocks.
By providing clear, accessible and up-to-date information, Sheep Genetics supports breeders at all stages of their genetics journey, enabling greater adoption of best-practice breeding strategies and increasing confidence in the use of genetic evaluation tools.
Good genetics: the backbone behind Ricky’s flock in dry times