Media Release: Neogen-Led Collaboration to Deliver Immune Competence Breeding Values for Merinos

Neogen Australasia, in collaboration with CSIRO, Sheep Genetics (the national genetic information and evaluation service run by Meat & Livestock Australia Limited [MLA]), and the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU), is leading a landmark initiative to deliver immune competence breeding values for Australian Merino sheep—a first for the sheep industry.

The three-year project, titled Enhancing Animal Resilience in Australian Merino Breeding Programs, is developing genetic selection tools to support the breeding of more resilient, disease-resistant sheep. The collaboration is supported by the MLA Donor Company, as part of the National Livestock Genetics Consortium (NLGC), with full delivery of immune competence breeding values expected by May 2028.

In a strategic move to ensure rigorous pilot testing and development, the immune competence research breeding values will be exclusively available to Neogen-tested animals during the pilot phase, giving participating producers early access to cutting-edge genetic insights before the tools are publicly released through MERINOSELECT.

“This is a game-changing opportunity for Merino breeders,” said Mel Dowling, Sheep & Goat Genomic Technical Product Specialist at Neogen. “By selecting for immune competence, producers will be able to breed animals better equipped to withstand disease and environmental challenges—directly supporting animal welfare, productivity, and enterprise sustainability.”

This project utilises phenotypic and genomic data collected from the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) funded Merino Lifetime Productivity (MLP) project and MLP add-on projects funded by CSIRO and AWI that ran from 2015 to 2024. This project aims to address a longstanding gap in the industry’s ability to select for ‘general’ resilience traits such as immune system strength, stress response, and disease resistance.

With disease costing the Australian sheep industry an estimated $1.5 billion annually, the new tools are expected to improve productivity and profitability by reducing reliance on antimicrobials and increasing flock resilience.

The project will operate across 3 phases:

• Phase I: Defining immune competence traits, estimating heritability, and developing genomic prediction equations.
• Phase II: Pilot testing of immune competence breeding values in the Neogen-tested population, supported by extension and engagement initiatives.
• Phase III: Integration into the MERINOSELECT national evaluation system for industry-wide release, at no additional cost to breeders (subject to accuracy thresholds).

A Project Management Committee, chaired by Neogen, will oversee delivery. Extension efforts will include breeder workshops, webinars, fact sheets, and direct consultation, encouraging awareness and adoption.

This partnership supports strategic objectives under the NLGC Strategy to 2030, MLA 2025 Strategic Plan, and Red Meat 2030, building a more resilient and sustainable future for Australia’s Merino industry.

For more information, contact: Mel Dowling, Neogen Australasia, 0437 888 354