Breeders are being encouraged to submit nominations to RamCompare, the national progeny test for sire breeds.
Celebrating its tenth year, the project is jointly funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).
The national progeny test has put out a call for rams or semen from performance-recorded, terminal sire breeds.
Launched in 2015, the project tests terminal sire rams with estimated breeding values (EBVs) in the top 20% of their breed. Natural service sires should be shearlings or stock rams with a known, high health status.
Older stock rams are also welcome provided that they are fit and fertile. The project also purchases frozen semen in batches of 30 doses that can be used via the process of artificial insemination (AI).
Bridget Lloyd, the RamCompare project coordinator, said: “This is a great opportunity for breeders to get involved. Testing their ram’s genetics within the national progeny test will provide them with important data which can be used to promote future ram sales.
“Improving efficiency and reducing costs are key drivers for any business.
“Nominating rams to RamCompare allows breeders a unique opportunity to gather information which can demonstrate how their rams could benefit individual enterprises for potential buyers,” she added.
Since RamCompare’s launch, over 503 rams have been tested, helping to produce more than 48,000 lambs.
RamCompare has said that, to date, it has slaughter data included from 468 rams from 17 different breeds, collecting data from over 44,000 lambs in one of the largest trials of its kind.
Matt Harding, the owner of a Bentley Suffolk flock has worked with the project for many years and said: “Putting our stock rams onto RamCompare via AI is a great opportunity to test them while retaining their genetics for our own flock.”
Nominations for the national progeny test close on Friday, May 16.
