Wool breeding values for the Combined LAMBPLAN analysis will be released in July 2026.
There are four key enhancements made for the Wool module for Combined LAMBPLAN:
1. Expanded data used
The wool module for Combined LAMBPLAN will include more data, with a small but informative amount of wool performance measurement coming from Terminal sire breeds. The White Suffolks for example provide some wool performance information and are a key link breed between the Terminal and Maternal datasets. The wool module will now have performance data coming from both greasy and clean fleece weights, fibre diameter, fibre diameter coefficient of variation, and staple length. There has also been an increase in the amount of post weaning wool performance data, as such the Combined LAMBPLAN analysis will now report post weaning breeding values in the wool module.
2. Staple length now reported
The Combined LAMBPLAN analysis will now report breeding values for staple length. Due to changes in recording patterns, there is now enough direct staple length performance data to now estimate animal’s genetic merit for staple length.
3. Genetic parameter updates
Genetic parameters are used within the evaluation to account our understanding of the underlying genetic factors influencing how an animal performs. The wool module genetic parameters were reviewed for Combined LAMBPLAN to reflect the larger dataset used and remain similar to those used in the current Terminal and Maternal analyses. There were no significant differences in genetic parameter estimates within breeds in the Combined LAMBLAN analysis, so a universal set of genetic parameters will be applied. Maternal effects will be used for wool traits in Combined LAMBPLAN.
4. Updates to the genetic group structure
Genetic groups are used in the Sheep Genetics evaluations to help describe breed and population structure of animals with missing pedigree. The genetic groups in Combined LAMBPLAN will be at a genomic breed structure level (were previously at a flock level).