THE GLANNA STUD BREEDING STRUCTURE

The Glanna Stud Ewes are divided into seven different familes, with each family having a different aim, wool type, sheep type and genetic background (although all genetecs are derived directly from Glanna Blood sheep or from individual stud sires purchased from the Merryville Stud).

We have been greatly critisised by various people for breaking our stud up in such a manner but each family is bred in its own specific direction producing sheep required by different clients in different enviroments. If we did not adhere to this breeding system then many of our clients would look elsewhere for stock.

We are strongly in favour of breeding with a family structure as it has proven itself to produce genetic propotency enabling our clients to obtain excellent results in their own flock without having to purchase the top rams at the higher prices. Many of our top performing clients have only been buying average priced flock rams and because of the propotency of Glanna genetics have had wonderful results. We would also be very reluctant to purchase a stud ram from another stud who DID NOT breed within a family structure.

Many breeding systems being touted in the industry today seem to ignore one of the most important factors in breeding and that is the huge impact that the genetic background of an animal has in the outcome of a mating, the more information you have of the genetic background of an animal the more precise your breeding decisions can be and hence the better the outcome. The art of breeding animals in large scale (such as commercial livestock) is to make every decision with the aim of minimising mistakes.

The families are:

Superfine Family - These are finer crimping wool sheep, which are also genetically prone to lower microning wools.

Ultra-Fine Breeding Program - This is not a family as such, the sheep here are mainyl drawn from the fine wool family genetics with some Superfine genetics also. The aim of this breeding program is to breed a fine wool sheep which is as heavy cutting as possible while retaining a very good micron. These sheep tend to be viusually 66's-70's spinning count.

Fine Wool, Family - These are 66's-70's count sheep.

Glanna Special Family - This family was developed as a long term cross between the fine wool and fine-medium genetics, they have been running as very heavy cutting sheep while maintaining a very good micron.

Fine-Medium Family - These sheep are visually 64's-66's spinning count, they also tend to be more open faced and are very heavy cutting.

Medium Wool Family - These sheep were infused with genetics from Wallaloopark stud a few years ago, and have since then been bred within glanna genetics and are large framed heavy cutting wool sheep.

Poll Family - These are purley Poll Merino Genetics and are not used in the horn stud and vice-versa. We have in recent times infused the polls with genetics from Quamby Park Poll Stud and we are very pleased with the direction the polls are heading. They are large framed (some of which are some of the largest sheep on glanna), bright woolled sheep.