The following is a summary submitted with the application. It will be updated when the student’s abstract/thesis is received.
The research project seeks to utilise data collected as part of the Australian Wool Innovation funded Merino Lifetime Productivity (MLP) project to quantify relationships between visual traits and ewe reproductive rate with wool production and quality (noting access to the MLP data is not yet finalised in which case historic data sets will be utilised). The MLP data is ideal for this project as there are multiple production environments (sites) and merino strains represented.
Industry outcomes – quantification of association between visual traits such as wrinkle with reproductive rate and wool production and quality in the MLP data set.
Student outcomes – greater understanding of merino production systems, data and genetic analysis skills and interpretation.