NOVEMBER 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


BC sheep breeders honoured with


GenOvis awards Data-driven herd improvement testament to progressive producers


by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER


VICTORIA – Two BC


purebred sheep producers received All Canada Sheep Classic GenOvis awards at the All Canada Sheep Classic in Red Deer, AB in July. The awards recognize animals with superior performance and conformation based on both their GenOvis indexes and show placings. Both producers are also first-time registrants in GenOvis’ sheep genetic improvement program. Yvonne and Gordon Blankstein of Mountain View Farms in Fort Langley won Breed Champions for both their Hampshire ewe, Mountain View BC 1D, and ram, Mountain View BC 7E. The Blanksteins also won Breed Champion for their Dorset ewe, Mountain View BC 12D, who also won Grand Champion overall in the Maternal Breed – Ewe category. The Blanksteins are new


breeders of Dorset, Oxford and Hampshire sheep, but are not new to raising livestock. They understand the importance of investing in good foundation stock and using the tools that are available. Having heard the producer panel speak on the merits of GenOvis at last spring’s Canadian Sheep Breeders Association’s annual general meeting in Victoria, the Blanksteins signed up and submitted data from three years of production. “We can improve our flock


using GenOvis, which provides critical help in culling the underperformers, and keeping the sheep that score in the top 20%,” says Gordon. Lorea Tomsin of Olde


Country Registered Sheep in Sidney won Breed Champion for her Charollais ram, Olde Country 739D. Tomsin also topped the GenOvis Improver Rams’ List for Charollais rams, which identifies animals that perform better than the breed average, for her ram Olde Country 743E, which ranked first out of 123 rams across Canada.


Although it took three days to input six years of data when she signed on with GenOvis, it was time well spent, according to Tomsin. “Your best one isn’t always


who you think it is,” says Tomsin. “Good records


 Lorea Tomsin’s breed champion Olde Country 739D. SUBMITTED PHOTO MEASURE – MANAGE – IMPROVE


Improve: Flock productivity Management decisions (selection) Strengths and weaknesses


Canadian Sheep Genetics Program


For purebred and commercial producers based on reliable information


Save time by using: Mating module (inbreeding level) Various reports (PDF and Excel)


NEW ENROLMENT STARTS IN JANUARY 2018 JOINS US


For information : Amelie St-Pierre WWW.GENOVIS.CA


418 856-1200 #221 genovis@cepoq.com


Specializing in LASER LEVELLING and DRAIN TILE


Also Site Preparation for  


call 604.209.5524 www.erskinesons.com


provide valuable information, much as it has improved the dairy industry. It helps you retain the right ones and put together the right animals for genetic improvement.” The newest participants in the competition were Dorset breeders Alan and Marilyn McCorkindale of Briar Glen Farm in East Sooke, who bred the highest selling ewe at the 2016 Classic. This makes three BC breeders out of 150 Canadian sheep producers in the 16-year old GenOvis genetic evaluation program, which now boasts 1.4 million lamb records. Program administrator Amelie St-Pierre credits the program’s growth to greater awareness by sheep producers of the need to collect data to improve their flocks for increased efficiency and profitability. With increased enrollment and dedication to improvement, steady genetic progress has been achieved for several productive traits across


33


Gord Blankstein, left with judge Dave Cadsand of Little Fort, with his award winning Hampshire ram lamb. SUBMITTED PHOTO


several breeds and within individual farms, both purebred and crossbred. “The more people use


GenOvis, the better the national flock will get,” Blankstein says.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44