Sheep Genetics / LAMBPLAN and NZGE / Maternal Worth index

SheepMaster Breeders Seek Formal Recognition for Australia’s Rising Shedding Sheep

The SheepMaster Breeders Association has formally applied for breed recognition with MLA Sheep Genetics, in a move set to elevate one of Australia’s fastest-growing shedding sheep breeds onto the national stage.

Developed by renowned Western Australian sheep breeder Neil Garnett, the SheepMaster is a low-maintenance, high-performance composite bred for modern meat production. With strong fertility, parasite resistance, natural wool shedding and no need for mulesing or shearing, the breed has quickly gained traction among progressive lamb producers across Australia and New Zealand.

“SheepMaster was designed for commercial efficiency, animal welfare, and eating quality — the three things the future of lamb depends on,” said Garnett. “Now that the breeder network has grown and the traits are stabilised, formal recognition through Sheep Genetics is the logical next step.”

The application, submitted this week, includes plans to register SheepMaster flocks, implement standardised data recording, and begin submitting genetic performance data to LAMBPLAN — enabling benchmarking against other breeds.

“Shedding sheep are still relatively new in Australia, but they’re not a fringe idea anymore,” said a spokesperson for the SheepMaster Breeders Association. “They’re the future — and the SheepMaster is leading that charge.”

The Association currently represents breeders across Australia and New Zealand, and is seeing growing demand from producers seeking to reduce labour inputs while improving lamb survival and carcass returns.

Pending approval, SheepMaster will join a select group of officially recognised breeds within the Sheep Genetics database, paving the way for greater visibility, benchmarking, and growth across the industry.

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