The Agriculture Ministry has released F1 Sheep Cross Breed at Nawaicoba Quarantine station in Nadi this week.

This is an effort to improve sheep genetics and production at farm level.

Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy says the ministry will continue with its breeding program and evaluate the productive and reproductive of various cross breeds.

Dr Reddy says 120 male sheep and 60 female breeders have been released to farms in the Western division.

He says these are products of cross breeding between Dorpers and Fiji Fantastic breeds.

“According to the breed evaluation studies here at the station ,the F1 breed have an average birth weight of 3.5kg compared to the 2.6kg in Fiji fantastic so you can see at birth the difference in weight nearly 1kg.Secondly the new one also will have a better average body length 41.5cm compared to 28.3 cm.”

Farmers have been urged to take advantage of this genetic improvement program to boost the current conditions of their stock.