The event is open to anyone with an interest in sheep production and attracts a varied audience of farmers, breeders, researchers and industry representatives.
Sheep Breeders Round Table programme
The programme will run over a week, opening with a lunchtime session on Monday, November 15, followed by four evening sessions, each hosted by a different levy board. The NSA will conclude the programme with a lunchtime session on Friday. A range of international researchers, breeders and commercial farmers will join each session to provide open, honest, first-hand experience from their involvement in the various projects. Topics will include genetic evaluation methods, environmental sustainability, anthelmintic resistance and breeding. Confirmed speakers include:- Sharon McIntyre, genetic evaluation manager for Beef and Lamb New Zealand working closely with SIL (Sheep Improvement Limited);
- Dr. Nicola Lambe, sheep geneticist from SRUC, Scotland's Rural University, will discuss how the CT scanning service benefits sheep breeding businesses;
- Dr. John McEwan, a principal scientist at AgResearch in New Zealand specialising in sheep genomics;
- Prof. Eric Morgan from Queen’s University summarising the first year of a European Innovation project looking at implementing TST (targeted selective treatments) of Anthelmintics on farms;
- Dr. John Gilliland OBE, Devenish, discussing a European Innovation project to accelerate livestock’s pathway to carbon net-zero;
- Denis Gautier, Institut de l'Élevage, explaining how ‘The Digital Farm’ in France evaluates innovative technology for breeders and commercial sheep farmers.
