The Aims and Objectives of SRS®
The objective of the SRS® Breeding System is to assist breeders to achieve accelerated genetic gain in fleece traits for their breeding programs. Integral to the concept of accelerated genetic improvement is that of developing an identifiably unique Australasian alpaca that has been specifically bred to meet the highest standards in commercial fleece and conformational traits, an alpaca that will ultimately benchmark international standards, and will be sought after as seedstock by other breeders around the world. SRS® is a system that identifies and produces those commercial fleece traits that the marketplace is seeking: fineness, handle, lustre, length and style, and delivers these traits with higher fleece weights.
The 'package' of desirable follicle and fibre characteristics we are seeking to breed in our alpacas is:
- Very fine primary fibres of uniform diameters (eventually finer than the secondary fibres).
- High follicle density associated with high levels of secondary follicle branching (the latter equates to high secondary follicle to primary follicle [S/P] ratio. Hence the secondary fibres are also fine, uniform in diameter and highly aligned.
- Very long fibres of uniform length.
The Objectives of SRS® - Progress to Date
Today
Skin tests have shown that alpacas of good fleece quality by current industry standards have, on average, a follicle density of about 40 follicles per square millimetre and an S/P ratio of 10 to 1. Primary fibres are mostly medullated and about 10 microns coarser than the secondary fibres. The average fibre diameter in adult animals generally varies from about 20 to 30 microns.
The fibre length of young adult animals averages about 0.40 millimetres per day, and in old animals, about 0.25 millimetres per day. The higher the fibre length to staple length ratio, the higher the crimp amplitude (that is, the deeper the crimp) is likely to be.
Tomorrow
It is certainly possible to breed animals that are a lot denser, finer and longer than current industry standards. The SRS® breeding goal is to breed alpacas that have primary fibres finer than the secondary fibres, secondary fibres that are up to 10 microns finer than currently seen in adult animals, follicle densities above 85 follicles per square millimetre and S/P ratios above 20 to 1. Ultimately, no fibres should be medullated, irrespective of the age of the animal or the follicle type. The objective is also to improve fibre length to 0.70 millimetres per day or more and maintain this length throughout much of the animal's life.
LATEST NEWS UPDATES
Merry Christmas and a happy 2012
Date Article Listed: 24/12/11
As the year draws to a close we would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful 2012. Although there are plenty of challenges ahead the baling weekend indicated that really positive gains are been made in the fleece area.
Thank you to everyone who attended workshops, assisted with displays, helped with baling and who contributed to the success of the year. May this time be a time for family and friends and a time to relax. Have a safe and happy break.
Fleece Baling Weekend
Date Article Listed: 24/11/11
Over the last weekend 19th & 20th of November a number of us met at Frank and Julienne Gelber's property at Orange to class and bale fleeces for the Primaries wool auction in December. Although it took a long time for those present it was an excellent learning experience and one all subscribers should try and be part of in the future. Some of the fleeces were very well prepared while others required further skirting. Thanks to those subscribers who contributed to the collection. In total over 700kgs of fleeces was classed and a number of bales of 110kgs were pressed and branded ready for sale. Some are still waiting to have enough fleece to make the necessary weight.
Many thanks to the Gelbers for their hospitality, to Jim Watts who classed every fleece and to Stuart Marshall, Richard Brennan, Julienne Gelber and David Mitchell for sorting , skirting, pressing and branding the bales. Go to the photo gallery for some pics of the days. By the time we finished all were exhausted but more informed by the experience. We wait to hear how the fleeces test and how they sell on the open wool market.
BULLETIN BOARD
New subscribers welcome. For more details click on:
