AFRINO SHEEP BREEDERS
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA

For visitors wishing to join the Assosciation. Click on the icon below to download the application form. Fill in the the form and email to: lea@wvdv.co.za.

For vistitors wishing to know more about the Association. Click on the icon below to download a copy of the Assosciations Constitution. The constitution is only available in Afrikaans.

During the late 1960's, a request was made to the Department of Agriculture by the wool industry, via the South African Agricultural Union, to develop a white woolled breed for the extensive sheep grazing areas.

This breed will:

• 1. Have to be free of kemp and coloured fibres;
• 2. Have to produce a good slaughter lamb at an early age;
• 3. Have a good reproductive ability.
• 4. Have to be hardy and well adapted to the environment of the extensive grazing areas;

Consequently, a breeding project was initiated at the Carnarvon Experimental Station in the North-western Karoo in 1969, whereby it was attempted to develop a white woolled mutton sheep, which combined the quality wool of the Merino with the reproductive performance and mutton producing abilities of the mutton breeds.

In 1976 it was evident that the cross consisting of 25% Merino, 25% Ronderib Afrikaner and 50% SA Mutton Merino best fulfilled the requirements set for the new breed. It was decided to retain only this cross for further upgrading and development of the breed that is today known as the AFRINO.

On 5 February 1980, the AFRINO Sheep Breeders' Society was established at a meeting on the Carnarvon Experimental Station and breed standards for this new white woolled mutton breed were drawn up.

Productive performance

The average productive performance of the ram and ewe lambs since 1990 are summarised in Table 1.

Table 1. Average productive performance (±s.e.) since 1990 of the ram and ewe lambs in the Carnarvon AFRINO flock

The average scores for wool and conformation traits, assessed subjectively at 14 months of age, since 1990 and scores of the 2015-born ram and ewe lambs in the Carnarvon AFRINO flock are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Average scores for subjectively assessed wool and conformation traits (± s.e.) at 14 months of age since 1990 and scores of the 2015-born ram and ewe lambs in theCarnarvon AFRINO flock.

Productive performance of the ewe flock over the past 35 years is presented in Table 3, while the reproductive performance of the 2016 lambing season is summarised in Table 4.

Table 3. Production and reproduction of AFRINO ewes (± s.e.) over the past 35 years in the Carnarvon flock

Table 4. Reproduction of AFRINO ewes for the 2016-lambing season.

Selection strategy and genetic trends

Selection in the flock is aimed at increasing reproductive performance and body weight, maintaining wool weight and fibre diameter and improving wool quality traits. Genetic trends for body weights, wool traits and reproduction are depicted in Figures 1 to 4 and summarised in Table 5. From the figures it is evident that the selection objectives with regard to reproductive performance, body weight and most of the wool traits have been achieved.

Figure 1 Direct and maternal genetic trends in birth weight (BW)

Figure 2. Direct and maternal genetic trends in 42-day (W42) and weaning weights (WW)

Figure 3 Genetic trends in 9- and 16-month body weights

Figure 4 Genetic trends in reproductive performance

Table 5. Genetic trends since 1990 in the Carnarvon AFRINO flock

Production norms

Age at first lambing: 17 months

Average marketing age is 7 to 9 months at 42 kg live weight under extensive conditions.

Dressing percentage: 46%

Carcass weight: 19.3 kg

Products

In AFRINO sheep, 80% of the income is generated through meat production and 20% through wool production.

Normal production environment:

• Semi-arid north western Karoo veld.
• AFRINO flocks are mainly found in the Southern Free State, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape provinces and the Karoo region of the Western Cape Province.

Breed numbers

The breed society currently has 22 breeders. The total number of AFRINO sheep in South Africa is unknown.

The “Veld Ram” Breeding Project was started circa 1998, and is currently been run by Mr. Martiens le Roux, who has been in charge of data collection for the past 18 years. The aim of the project to ensure that genetically superior and environmentally well adapted animals are continuously available to the market

The project is run over a period of 6 to 7 months. Lambs between the ages of 5 to 7 months and weighing between 28 and 40 kg are divided into 2 groups: light and heavy. This provides for lambs from low rainfall areas and twins to be monitored. The weight of the animals in each group may not differ by more than 10kg.

The lambs are sheared before being released and again towards the end of the of the project period. The fleece of each is thoroughly analysed of which micro, length and nett return are the most important.

The lambs are sheared and released into an approved test area and must subsist on the vegetation of area without external feeding. The animals are weighed on a monthly basis.

Within 2 weeks after the completion of the project period, the average daily weight-gain is calculated from the data gathered during the project period and a selection index is drawn up.

The first selection takes place in the first 2 weeks of September. The rams are then sheared for the second time and the fleece of each is thoroughly analysed of which micron, length and nett return are the most important parameters.

All the rams are given a condition point evaluation in which fat distribution over the ribs and loins is measured and a number between 1 (very thin) and 7 (overweight) is assigned. From this the rams can be divided in weight classes: light, medium and heavy.

All rams with a selection index of less than 80 and/or a fleece nett index less than 70 are withdrawn from the project.

A second selection takes place in last 2 weeks of January to ensure that the rams are ready for auction.

Mr. M. le Roux (left) and Mr. H. Calitz (right) with prize ram.