programs Breeding
breeding Cross Mating of sheep from two separate breeds to obtain the strengths from each of the parent breeds. It is most commonly used in commercial application production. Complementary strengths from the different breeds can be combined, and when the parents are unrelated, the greatest amount of heterosis or hybrid vigor is obtained.
HETEROSIS (HYBRID VIGOR)
The increased performance of crossbreds as compared to the average of the parental breeds for specific traits. • The performance of an individual is greater than the average of its parents. • Heterosis CAN occur within purebreds but has most significant implications for commercial production.
the go-to terminal sire Suffolks THE USE OF A SUFFOLK RAM ON A MATERNAL EWE BREED INCREASES GROWTH AND PROFIT! GRADING UP Grade-up programs allow for the initial use of another breed to initially promote heterosis and breed complementarity. Then, over time, the flock is representative of the sire breed. An example of this is the USSA’s Percentage program.
BREEDING PROGRAMS & THE USSA REGISTRY WITHIN THE USSA THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE REGISTRATION OF LINE-BRED OR INBRED SUFFOLK SHEEP. • Crossbred sheep can be recorded through the percentage program as such. • Sheep achieving a breed percent of 15/16 or 94% are deemed purebred *Percentage is rounded up at 93.5% as it is calculated in Digital Suffolk
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