@conference {41064,
	title = {Effect of selection for fleece weight on liveweight, reproductive performance and wool characteristics in mixed age Romney ewes},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {59},
	year = {1999},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {27-29},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {This paper presents the analysis of 3525 annual production records of mixed age Romney ewes in a fleece weight selected (HF) or control (RC) flock over 11 years. HF ewes were significantly (P<0.001) heavier than RC ewes for autumn live weight (8\%), winter live weight (9\%), spring live weight (7\%), greasy fleece weight (20\%) and clean fleece weight (19\%). Small but significant (P<0.01) flock differences were found for fibre diameter and yellowness. HF fleeces were coarser and more yellow than RC fleeces. HF ewes were significantly (P<0.01) higher than RC for ovulation rate (1.80 vs 1.73 SED 0.03), number of lambs born/ewes lambed (1.63 vs 1.56 SED 0.02), and number of multiple births/ewes lambed (60\% vs 54\% SED 2\%), but lower (P<0.01) for number of lambs weaned/lambs born (0.84 vs 0.88 SED 0.01). The results indicate that single trait selection for fleece weight enhances greasy and clean fleece weights, live weight and ovulation rate, with an associated increase in FD and yellowness of their fleeces. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Wuliji T and Dodds KG and Andrews RN and Turner PR and Wheeler R}
}
@conference {41055,
	title = {Effects of sire and body site on wool colour measurements in Romney x Perendale progeny},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {58},
	year = {1998},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {294-297},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Six Romney rams were selected, three for "Bright" and three for "Yellow" wool, using estimates of breeding values for base wool colour. Six hundred Perendale ewes were randomly allocated to these rams in a single sire groups and joined for one mating cycle. Female progeny (n=280) were identified and grazed in one mob until weaning then split into two, one on Invermay and the other on Woodlands. Shoulder wool strip samples were collected at 3, 9, 12 months of age, two-tooth and as 2 year old ewes. The wool characteristics of yield, fibre diameter, resistance to compression and tristimulus colours were measured. No significant sire effect was found for tristimulus Y values at any sampling interval. A significant (P<0.05) tristimulus Y-Z difference was found for two tooth fleeces in progeny of Yellow sires compared with Bright (5.3 vs. 4.4 SED 0.4). Belly and back site wool was significantly (P<0.05) more yellow (Y-Z 7.8 and 6.1) than other body sites, belly wool was also lower (P<0.05) for brightness (Y 47.9) than other sites. The most significant source of variation in tristimulus Y and Y-Z values was contributed by body regions of fleece, emphasising the importance of effective skirting of fleeces. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Wuliji T and Dodds KG and Andrews RN and Turner PR and Wheeler R}
}
@conference {41052,
	title = {Mature Merino ewe production performance in an ultrafine fibre diameter selected and a control flock},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {58},
	year = {1998},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {284-287},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Mature Merino ewe data (1988 to 1995) from 1407 ultrafine (UF) fibre diameter selected and 249 random controls (CF) totalling 3213 and 765 records respectively were analysed. Mean fibre diameter (FD) was significantly (P<0.001) lower in UF compared with CF (17.7 mm vs. 20.0 SED 0.04). Mean FD decreased in UF adult ewes by 0.16 um ({\textpm}0.02) per year relative to CF. There were no differences for autumn live weight but UF was significantly lower for spring live weight (P<0.05) and fleece weight (P<0.01) and higher for fleece yield (P<0.01) than CF. There were significant (P<0.001) age effects for all of these traits. For those ewes born during the project (1990-1994), the number of lambs born per ewe was slightly higher for CF than UF (1.17 vs. 1.14 SED 0.04) but not significant. CF wool had greater tensile strength, bulk and yellow but lower crimp frequency (all P<0.01) than UF wool. Selection for ultrafine wool in Merino sheep has shown FD was significantly reduced without negative effect on liveweight and reproduction. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Wuliji T and Dodds KG and Andrews RN and Turner PR}
}
@conference {40879,
	title = {Effect of the Inverdale gene (Fec X) on fleece characteristics in Romney sheep},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {57},
	year = {1997},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {29-32},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {The effect of the Inverdale gene (FecX) on wool production traits was measured in a trial where Romney carrier rams (I) were crossed and backcrossed with high fleece weight-selected (HF) Romney ewes, and Romney non-carrier rams (+) with unselected (RC) Romney ewes. The trial generated 248 female progeny in five genotype subgroups: non-carrier (++){\textonehalf}RC and {\textonequarter}RC; heterozygous (I+){\textonehalf}HF and {\textonequarter}HF; and homozygous (II) {\textonequarter}HF. The live weight, fleece weight, wool characteristics and reproductive performance of these genotype subgroups were compared, and from corresponding genotype subgroups of male progeny (n = 307) were also evaluated for early growth and fleece traits. No differences were found for birth, hogget shearing and two-tooth live weights among genotypes. Greasy fleece weight was significantly (P<0.05) higher for I+{\textonehalf}HF ewes shorn as lambs (9\%), hoggets (8\%) and two-tooths (10\%) compared with ++{\textonehalf}RC. The important wool characteristics of yield, fibre diameter, bulk, staple length and staple crimp did not differ significantly between genotypes. The ovulation rate (combining subgroups with the same Inverdale genotype) was significantly (P<0.05) higher for I+ (2.3) than ++ (1.5) progeny (SED: 0.3). The results suggest that introgression of FecXI into fleece weight selection flocks will improve prolificacy in these flocks while ensuring high fleece weight. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Wuliji T and Davis GH and Dodds KG and Andrews RN and Wheeler R and Turner PR}
}
@conference {40737,
	title = {Establishing a flock for gene mapping in wool traits},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {55},
	year = {1995},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {285-288},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {A gene mapping flock for wool traits was established by backcrossing  of Merino cross Romney (F1) to both parental breeds. The objectives for  this flock were to investigate the segregation of wool and skin characteristics  in crosses between the Merino and Romney and to investigate methods for  the analysis of genetic markers and quantitative trait loci. Analysis of  Merino backcross animals showed no evidence of major genes segregating  for any of the wool traits studied. The analysis estimated a finite number of  genes affecting fibre diameter and bulk. A genetic marker study of these  family groups may provide more powerful analysis for the presence of genes  affecting wool traits that may be segregating in these crosses.  },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Wuliji T and Montgomery GM and Dodds KG and Andrews RN and Beattie AE and Turner PR and Rogers J}
}
