Do all of your breeding stock produce high quality offspring that grow
well, are disease resilient with little runting? Do all wild collection
areas yield the same productivity and abundance? Crocodiles, like all
other known production species, have genetic variability that cannot be
optimised through environmental manipulation and/or husbandry
improvements. However, this variability can be captured to increase farm
profitability by removing poor performing breeders from your breeding
system, selecting replacements from high performing breeders and
correct assessment of new stock.
All studies so far have shown high
heritability (40% for growth; 15% for survival) and are yet to be
realised on commercial farms. Interested? Please contact us to assist
you develop a genetic improvement program and maximise your profits.
An additional benefit of genetic performance testing is the disentanglement of non-genetic effects (environment, husbandry, etc). The macro- and micro-trends can be used to critically assess husbandry changes, set performance targets, etc.
Have you critically assessed your breeding herd’s reproductive efficiency? Are all females producing large healthy clutches with >85% hatchability? The Centre for Crocodile Research can analyse your historic and current reproductive data to determine which females should be replaced in your breeding herd. Maternity tests can genetically confirm the correct female is identified.
Developing and maintaining an accurate pedigree is crucial for a successful genetic improvement program. The Centre for Crocodile Research can confirm parentage of selected individuals to ensure your investment is realised
Request 1/2 hour free consult