Wool production and other characteristics of progeny from high performance Coopworths x Romney rams

ram a population of 1270 Coopworth ewe hoggets 70 were selected for high greasy fleece weight (CHFW) at hogget shearing and 50 controls Tere selected at random (CC). The CHFW ewes were joined in I987 and 1988 to sires from a Romney high fleece weight (RHFW) flock, also mated zntemporaneonsly within that flock. The CC were mated with commercial Coopworth rams. The CHFW and CC flocks were grazed with ‘to RHFW flock and its control (RC). Results for progeny showed that relative to the RC (100) the greasy fleece weight of the RHF’W, CC ndRHFWxCHFWwere 118.112and125respectively. Correspondingvaluesforlambfleeceweightwere 112,106and 12l;andforOctober 12 month) live weight were 106,109 and 114 respectively. RHFW rams crossed with CHEW ewes generated progeny markedly superior to :omney and Coopwonh controls for greasy fleece weight, showing that appropriate breeding programmes can rapidly improve this trait.