The costs of internal parasite control and treatment are potentially very high in grazing sheep. Faecal worm egg count (FEC) has been suggested as a suitable criterion for selection for resistance to nematode infestation in livestock. Genetic parameter estimates for FEC and its relationship with wool traits were assessed in the current study, using data from Merino sheep from a selection experiment maintained at Tygerhoek Research Farm. Data consisted of ~7 100 animals born between 1989 and 2010. Rectal faecal samples were taken from individual sheep at 13 to 16 months of age, after drenching had been withheld for at least 10 weeks, generally in July to September. Nematode eggs were counted with the McMaster technique, with a sensitivity of 100 eggs per gram of wet faeces. The fixed effects of birth type, sex, birth year and sex x birth year interaction were included in the operational model for FEC. Only the effect of additive animal affected the data for FEC. Heritability estimates of FEC ranged from 0.10 for untransformed FEC to 0.16 for Log (FEC + 100). The genetic relationships of Log (FEC + 100) with staple strength (SS), staple length (SL), coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVFD) and standard deviation of fibre diameter (SDFD) were favourable. The genetic correlations of FEC with wool weight traits were unfavourable in absolute terms, but not significantly different from zero. Selection for FEC is unlikely to result in unfavourable correlated responses to wool traits in South African Merinos, with the exception of wool weights. ______________________________________________________________________________________

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Reproduction is important for sustainable lamb production in Merino sheep. Data from a Merino flock maintained at Elsenburg Research Farm in the Western Cape, South Africa, were used to investigate the genetic parameters for ewe reproduction traits and their relationship with objectively measured wool traits. Traits included number of lambs born during the first lambing opportunity (NLB1), number of lambs weaned during the first lambing opportunity (NLW1), total weight of lamb weaned during the first lambing opportunity (TWW1), number of lambs born during a ewe's lifetime (NLB3), number of lambs weaned during a ewe's lifetime (NLW3), and total weight weaned per ewe's reproductive life (TWW3) Fixed effects of selection line, birth type, sex, age of the dam in years, year of birth, and the sex*birth year interaction had significant effects on all bodyweight and objectively measured wool traits. Only year of birth and selection line affected ewe reproduction traits. Heritability estimates amounted to 0.10 ± 0.03 for NLB1, 0.07 ± 0.02 for NLW1, 0.10 ± 0.04 for TWW1, 0.25 ± 0.04 for NLB3, 0.12 ± 0.03 for NLW3, and 0.18 ± 0.04 for TWW3. Wool traits were moderately heritable at 0.28 ± 0.05 (staple strength) to 0.60 ± 0.03 (clean yield (CY)) and coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVFD). Relationships among ewe reproduction traits were high, ranging from 0.74 between TWW1 and NLB3 to 1.00 between NLW1 and TWW1. The genetic relationships of ewe reproduction traits with wool weights and staple length were positive. Fibre diameter (FD) and CY were unfavourably related to ewe reproduction traits. It seems possible to improve ewe reproduction when selecting on NLB, NLW, and TWW in Merino sheep without unwanted correlated response to selection in wool traits, with the exception of FD and CY.______________________________________________________________________________

Subjectively assessed wool and conformation traits form part of the selection objective in wool sheep enterprises. The present study investigated the genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations for nematode resistance (using faecal worm egg count (FEC)) with subjectively assessed wool and conformation traits. The Merino sheep flock (consisting of four lines) maintained on Tygerhoek Research Farm was used. Fixed effects of selection line, birth type, sex, age of dam in years, year of birth, and sex*birth year interaction had a significant effect on all subjective traits. At genetic level, log transformed FEC was significantly related to wool oil only at 0.18 ± 0.09, staple formation at 0.29 ± 0.10, and topline at −0.33 ± 0.11. These correlations suggested that sheep with high FEC are likely to have excessive wool oil, thicker and bulkier staples, and lower scores for topline. Selection for resistance to and resilience against nematodes in Merino sheep thus will not result in marked unfavourable correlated responses in the vast majority of these subjective wool and body conformation traits. ______________________________________________________________________________

Subjectively assessed wool and conformation traits are widely used to select breeding ewes and rams in the sheep industry. Data from a Merino flock that is maintained at Elsenburg Research Farm were used to investigate animal model (co)variance components for ewe reproduction traits with subjectively assessed wool and conformation traits. Ewe reproduction traits were assessed at their first lambing opportunity at two years, or over a three-year period from their lambing opportunities at two to four years old. Relationships of ewe reproduction traits with subjectively measured wool and conformation traits were also investigated. All these traits were heritable, with a range from 0.16 ± 0.03 for topline (TOPL) to 0.64 ± 0.04 for woolly face score (WFS). Genetic correlations of number of lambs born (NLB1) with colour (COL), number of lambs weaned (NLW1) with COL and belly and points (BANDP) and total weight of lamb weaned (TWW1) with COL were negative and significant. Significant genetic correlations of ewe reproduction traits over three lambing opportunities were found between number of lambs born (NLB3) and WFS (0.23 ± 0.11) and between total weight weaned (TWW3) and face cover score (FCS) (-0.33 ± 0.16). Among these traits, the noteworthy favourable genetic correlation between total fold score (TOT) and NLB1 suggested that plainer ewes were more reproductive. This is important for the South African Merino industry as plainer sheep are more desirable because of their faster growth and higher lambing percentages and reduced chances of fly strike. Selection for improved ewe reproduction in Merino sheep thus would not result in marked unfavourable correlated responses in most of these subjective wool and conformation traits.

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