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The annual ram performance test conducted by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station begins Sept.13-14 with delivery of the rams to the station located on Hwy. 55 between Sonora and Rocksprings. The annual field day and sale at the end of the test is set for March 18, 2005.
Dr. Dan Waldron, San Angelo-based Experiment Station researcher and the program's coordinator, said the test is open to all breeds, but because of the type of data collected it is more useful for fine wool breeds. All the animals in recent years have been Rambouillet rams. The aim of the test is to identify superior animals by allowing them to fulfill their genetic potential during the 112-day feeding trial.
Waldron said the animals may be registered or non-registered. Only registered rams born between Oct. 1, 2003, and April 30, 2004, will be eligible for the American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders' Association Registry of Merit Program.
The researcher said the performance information gleaned from the test will be more useful if more than one ram lamb per sire is tested. Cooperators planning to enter more than 20 animals are asked to give Waldron advance notice.
The test is open to ram lambs regardless of initial weight, but fall-born lambs weighing less than 135 pounds and spring-born lambs weighing less than 100 pounds on the initial weigh day are not eligible for certification.
All information (sire, type of birth, etc.,) is required by the first weigh day. Animals without this information will be classified as commercial rams throughout the test.
For further information on the Sonora ram test contact Drs. Waldron, Frank Craddock or Chris Lupton at (325) 653-4576, or call Dr. Charles "Butch" Taylor at (325) 387-3168. The test program's Web site is: http://sanangelo.tamu.edu/genetics/ramtest.htm .
