Nominations are now open to join RamCompare, a partnership aimed at developing genetic improvements in the UK’s sheep industry, for the 2023 breeding season.
The project is looking for rams with Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) in the top 20% of the breed and nominations close on May 12, 2023.
RamCompare is funded by the levy boards of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and is supported by Agrisearch in Northern Ireland.
Now in its eighth year, RamCompare has tested 401 terminal sire rams, producing more than 38,500 lambs from commercial ewes, mated using artificial insemination (AI) or natural service.
Rams are selected from a range of terminal sire breeds and are used on commercial farms across the UK. Progeny are monitored from birth to slaughter the following year and their data is sent to Signet for breeding evaluations.
Bridget Lloyd, project coordinator, said RamCompare is a great opportunity for breeders to contribute data which “can be used to promote their flocks and the rams they have for sale”.
“Updated results will be released in May bringing leading flocks into the spotlight with breed-specific articles and commercial farm case studies in the farming press.
“Improving efficiency and reducing costs are both key drivers for any business and investing in a recorded ram with the right genetic merit can meet both these criteria.”
Signet’s breeding services manager, Samuel Boon, said the company, which is part of AHDB’s beef and lamb breeding consultancy, is excited to enter a new phase in development.
“This year, we’re working to integrate the analysis of abattoir traits into Signet’s routine genetic evaluations and updating the breeding index that is used to identify elite rams,” he said.
“These developments are an important step for RamCompare, delivering a key objective that we set when the project was launched.
“Nominating rams this season will give breeders a unique opportunity to get ahead in this important area of breed improvement”.
