WHY CHOOSE FINNSHEEP ?

Secretary finnsheep@hotmail.com

Finn Ram

Multiple births are standard performance for Australian Finnsheep.

Improved profitability is the key to survival and growth in today's business world. Within the agricultural sector, particularly the sheep industry, the pressure on farmland by other livestock systems makes this essential today, more so than ever before. Only too often prime lamb producers have not paid sufficient attention to the productivity of their ewe flock.

The Finn (Finnish Landrace) breed is renowned world-wide for its productivity as a crossbred ewe. This increased productivity is a result of the breed's high levels of fertility and fecundity, the resultant heterosis, in addition to its inherent leanness and strong maternal traits.

The ability of the Finn purebred to transmit its productive traits to Finn progeny is remarkable. This was illustrated recently in South Australia where 5 maiden Merino/Finn cross ewes were mated to a Texel sire. The ewes lambed at 180% and weaned 160% lambs. Weaning at 14 weeks, the lambs averaged 37.7 kg. Expressed on a per ewe basis this equals 60.36 kg lamb. The crossbred ewes had an average live weight at the time of weaning of 61.2 kg. This translates that for each 1.00 kg of ewe body weight 0.99 kg of lamb was weaned.

This typifies the productivity of the Finn breed and what it has to offer Australian prime lamb producers. The Finn will enable producers to have a greater number of lambs for early turn off and/or the ability for these lambs to be taken onto heavier weights. The current and potential development of lamb feedlotting within Australia for finishing prime lambs can only increase the importance of the breed in the future.

Australian Finnsheep ewe	Australian Finnsheep fleece from the ewe shown on the left.
Australian Finnsheep & Merino cross lambswool. (Average 20.5 micron for the whole flock clip)	Australian Finnsheep & Corriedale cross fleece.

BENEFITS OF FINNSHEEP TO THE PRIME LAMB INDUSTRY

1 Increased Lambing Percentages ~ To around 180% as a half Finn.

2. Super Lean Meat ~ To breed a truly lean lamb we must start with the ewe. If the ewe is producing fat then the lamb is going to be fat. If we use a lean ewe and a lean, meat producing ram then we have the ultimate.

3, Milking Ability ~ Half-bred Finns can rear twin and triplets provided they have enough feed.

4. Wool Production ~ We must not underestimate the importance of the finer
characteristics of the Finn Fleece. This will be further enhanced with selection for breeding purposes.

5. Longer Breeding Season~ Finns will mate for a longer period of the year. Starting a month earlier than other breed will give us the option to spread lambing out and provide lambs over more of the year.

6. Ease of Lambing ~ Having multiple births it is understandable the lambs are going to be smaller. Important when we consider the birthweight of Texels.

7. Growth Rates ~ Perhaps the most suprising fact to emerge from the exercise so far is the growth rates of the Finn. Finn cross lambs have been recorded at 95 kg liveweight at 11 months of age.

8. Efficient Food Conversion ~ Reports on the food conversion of Finns are very encouraging and we know Finns are very good foragers.

FINNSHEEP ~ Bring Fertility, Fecundity and Finer Micron to Lean First Cross Ewes

June 2005

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