The RamCompare project is celebrating its tenth year in 2025 and is seeking new rams to join this year’s breeding season.

After consulting with our stakeholders, we have decided to adjust our deadline dates from April 2025 to better meet the needs of various breeds. The new deadlines are as follows:

• Terminal Sire Evaluations – Deadline is the 1st Tuesday of the month
• Hill Evaluation – Deadline is the 3rd Tuesday of the month
• Maternal Evaluation – Deadline remains unchanged on the 4th Tuesday of the month

Signet are planning to update the breeding indexes we use in our genetic evaluation of terminal sire breeds. This AHDB funded research will be delivered by AGBU, the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, University of New England, Australia. Research fellow Gus Rose will lead the work, supported by an internationally recognised team.

As part of this work, Gus is heading to the UK to talk to Signet clients about the ways they use the service and what their clients require. To support this engagement a series of meetings are being organised in the lead up to the Sheep Breeders Roundtable in November. It would be great if you could join us.

In 2022 AHDB launched the UK’s first genomic breeding values for sheep, as part of Signet’s hill sheep breeding program. Shortly after their release we were approached by several Breed Societies looking to share genomic information with AHDB for sheep bred in pedigree flocks if we could work with them to add value to these genotypes. Initial research from this work will be released at stakeholder meetings in the coming month.

Over the last 8 years AHDB have collected a wealth of abattoir data through RamCompare, with over 50,000 abattoir records supplied for lambs produced as part of this progeny test. For 12 months, breeding values for abattoir traits have been produced as a sub-set of information which has sat alongside existing traits like Scan Weight and Muscle Depth on the Signet website. However, new research by Samir id-Lahoucine at SRUC will now be used to help us make better use of this information.

In 2019 Signet changed the way in which we analysed the ultrasound muscle and fat depth data that we collect from sheep. Initially, we used to assess data on an age adjusted basis, whereas we now use weight adjusted data – which provides a better indication of the amount of muscle/fat in the carcase at a standard slaughter weight.

While EBVs identify animals that excel in individual traits, they can be combined into breeding indexes using economic weightings to meet a broader breeding objective. Providing breeders with the information to be able to rank and compare animals. This page summarises the breeding indexes Signet currently publishes. 

Now only five weeks away we urge you to book your tickets for the 2024 Sheep Breeders Round Table (SBRT) conference, located at the Radisson Blu Hotel East Midlands, Derby. The online ticket platform closes on Sunday 10^th November, please book now to secure your reservation.

Breed for CH4NGE: is a three-year initiative funded through DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Programme. The goal is to identify the best breeding strategies to breed productive, efficient maternal sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint. The project will develop EBVs and gEBVs for ‘new’ environmental traits and use these alongside existing measures of ewe efficiency to develop a selection index that will help to identify the best breeding sheep to reduce methane emissions from the flock. The in ...

Signet are pleased to announce that we have enhanced the genetic evaluation that we deliver to Sussex cattle breeders through the inclusion of 18,000 additional pedigree records which the Society has provided for cattle born since 2000.

Exlana Sale Report - August 2024 The recent Exlana sheep sale saw interest in person and online, with two rams fetching the top price of £2,700 each, and an overall average of £1,163. The sale achieved an impressive 87% clearance rate, reflecting strong demand for this innovative breed, particularly for rams with high index values for maternal traits and parasite resistance values. The day started with an interesting and informative talk on the Breed for CH4nge project which was presented by E ...

SRUC research looking at accuracy values in the National Hill Sheep Breeding Evaluation has found a better way to account for the impact of genotyping on the accuracy values that are published for EBVs and Indexes.

Breed for CH4NGE: is a three-year initiative funded through DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Programme. The goal is to breed productive, efficient maternal sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint.

Computed Tomography (CT) scanning is a great tool for identifying superior genetics within terminal sire flocks.

CT provides a welfare friendly way of assessing the total muscle, fat and bone yield in a live sheep. This near perfect predictor of carcase composition can also be used to measure the muscling in different parts of the carcase, such as the rib, loin and gigot.

In 2023 AHDB launched the UK's first genomic breeding values for sheep as part of Signet's National Hill Sheep Evaluation.

This was a major milestone for livestock breeding and AHDB are now working collaboratively with a number of Breed Societies and Research Institutions to enable other breed types to embrace the genomic opportunity within their breeding programmes. 

Recording schemes were developed to make the process of identifying superior genetics easier. Records of performance are analysed to tease out the non-genetic influences on an animal’s performance so that its true genetic potential can be assessed. This is important for traits that are visible, such as growth rate and carcase conformation, and vital when it comes to maternal traits that cannot be assessed visually.

It couldn't be easier to find a performance recorded flock near you. Simply go to Signet's Flock Finder Service enter your postcode and the site will tell where your nearest Signet recorded flock is located.

Farmers that are using EBVs to source breeding stock to improve flock and herd efficiency will also greatly reduce the environmental impact of their livestock systems. This article explains which traits are thought to have the greatest impact on targets set as part of the Climate Change Act (2008) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. 

A collaborative research team has been awarded a £1.1million grant to tackle the devastating impact of Maedi-visna (MV), a chronic infectious disease affecting sheep and goats.

Dupath farm has been part of the RamCompare project since 2017. Ewes are lambed indoors in March before being turned out into grass paddocks as part of a rotational system, lambs are finished from grass from mid-June. In 2023 lambs were sired by Hampshire Down, Shropshire, Suffolk, Meatlinc, Texel and Charollais rams, with a large number of Charollais on test this year. This included recent top-performing genetics compared against sires born over 40 years ago using semen that has been stored for many decades.

Latest breed reports from the RamCompare project the UK’s commercial progeny test for terminal sires. To date we have 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.

In Wales, HCC have supported Signet’s genetic improvement programme for many years; with the Hill Ram Scheme being a major success in introducing genomic technology into national sheep breeding programmes. However for the coming year, budgetary changes mean that HCC are unable to fund:-

• Routine support for Signet’s genetic evaluations for breeders in Wales
• CT scanning (or the genotyping of CT scanned animals) for breeders in Wales

Friday 5^th April saw the first ram sale of 2024 at Exeter Livestock Centre on behalf of the Centurion Group of Dorset Breeders. An entry of 43 Signet recorded sheep, which attracted buyers in person and online across the UK.

For over 50 years, Poll Dorset and Dorset Horn sheep breeders have measured the performance of lambs on their farms with the aim of enhancing their value at the abattoir.

RamCompare is on the look-out for new farms to recruit across England and Wales. The project collects data from birth to slaughter from commercial UK farms. RamCompare host farms provide a minimum of 300 ewes which are mated to performance recorded terminal sires. All flock data is collected using electronic identification (EID) and all commercial lambs are reared as one management group within a fast-finishing system.

The Charollais breed has always been an early adopter of research and breeders have been extremely supportive of our work. Over 100 different Charollais sires have been tested to date by RamCompare producing over 19,000 Charollais sired lambs.

AHDB are keen to support performance recording flocks based in England that wish to use SRUC’s CT scanning service. AHDB will provide a support payment to SRUC of £55/lamb to support CT scanning services. Breeders can chose to take their lambs to Edinburgh or go to one of the mobile venues set up by SRUC.

Over the past four years Shropshire breeders have been involved in RamCompare, the UKs national progeny test. Data from the project demonstrates the role this native breed plays in the commercial sheep sector and predicts a ram’s economic worth to a flock. This information provides a useful insight for commercial buyers to select the right rams to achieve their lamb enterprise objectives. 

RamCompare nominations are now open and we encourage you to consider putting your rams forward as new natural service rams or sell frozen semen for use in artificial insemination programmes for the 2024 mating season.

Friday, 24 May 2024, 11:00am - 3:30pm, Sandlands Farm, Frisby on the Wreake, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2NS

At this event, we will introduce the value of genomics (the study of genes) and explain how important it is for future ram breeding decisions. We will help you to understand how to use performance traits to benefit your pedigree flock or your commercial lamb enterprise.

Over the last five years Southdown breeders have played an important part in RamCompare, the UK’s national progeny test. Data from the project demonstrates the role this native breed plays in the commercial sheep sector and provides information to support commercial ram buyers to select the right rams for their flocks.

Signet has recently updated the range of publications for terminal sire breeders, find electronic copies of the booklet in this article. 

RamCompare, the national progeny test, supports Hampshire Down breeders that performance record their flocks within Signet providing evidence of how Hampshire Down sires with high EBVs perform on commercial farms and has enabled the development of more accurate predictors for carcase value.New

AHDB research shows clear advances in the Hampshire Down breed, with selection for growth leading to both an increase in carcase weight and a reduction in days to slaughter.

Genomic information enables predictions of genetic merit to be made using measures of an animal’s DNA, rather than being solely reliant on data derived from measurements taken on them and their relatives. Genomic approaches do not replace our current genetic analyses but build on them – introducing an additional genomic step that greatly increases the accuracy of our predictions.

To support ram breeders in 2024 the index will be rescaled to better reflect the variation within the population, whilst operating from a higher initial starting point. The ranking of rams will not change, but the average index within each breed will be closer to £10 than the current starting point of £1.

Signet has recently updated their genetic evaluation to enhance the breeding values for two traits that influence the level of intervention required at lambing time.

Many factors effect lamb survival, some are influenced by the environment the lamb is born into, some are influenced by the ewe’s maternal performance (whether she has enough milk and leads the lamb to shelter in wet weather). However, the lamb’s own genes also have a marked impact on their future and part of the genetic evaluation service provided by Signet to breeders, we can identify the best breeding lines for lamb survival; highlighting those sires whose lambs thrive and survive.

How big is your ideal cow? In the show ring, big cows tend to do well. Their size makes them impressive to look at compared to smaller females and for those chasing higher growth rates, a herd of large cows will, on average, produce calves with heavier weaning weights.

However the overall profitability of your farm is not just your income. Especially in the current climate of high costs of fertiliser, labour and feed, reducing input costs is a great way to increase your profit. Smaller cows need less feed and so can greatly reduce your input costs

With lambing round the corner for many terminal sire breeders, now is an important time to highlight the importance of recording both Birth Weights and Lambing Ease.

As we enter the autumn, and the weather is starting to turn and many of you will be thinking about preparing for the winter and getting jobs ticked off. Hopefully one near the top of the list is collecting weights of youngstock and cows. Providing weights for cows at weaning is important data, that will support on-going research and we hope lead to the development of an EBV for this trait.

Since 2018, AHDB has published the National Beef Evaluations, providing estimated breeding values (EBVs) for all breeds and crossbreeds of cattle to allow breeders to select animals for improved carcase and maternal traits. We are now working to make these tools available for Signet recording breeds through the Signet website, which will allow breeders to use all the available information in one place, to select the best breeding animals for their herd. This has been launched for Sussex breeders and other breeds will follow over the next few months, so watch this space.

Each event provided attendees the opportunity to join a series of stations with expert speakers covering topics from genetics to market insights to butchery and selection demonstrations. Designed to challenge ideas and highlight opportunities for improvements within the farming systems and the consumer in mind.

The latest Dorset Centurion newsletter can be read here. 

SBRT is currently looking to bolster the independent individuals on the committee and is looking for volunteers with an interest and/or experience in sheep genetics and knowledge of SBRT.

Many breeders have been involved in performance recording and research for more than 50 years. The cumulative and permanent change this creates in the breed, means that over time the improvements made in recorded flocks benefit the whole breed.

Following in the footsteps of the RamCompare project, the Dorset Centurion group have looked at ways to use carcase records in their routine genetic evaluations. So far breeders have collated over four thousand carcase records (a growing dataset) and with support from AHDB/SRUC generated a series of new Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for traits of high economic worth

In recent years there has been an increasing number of breeders have had their lambs measured using Signet’s ultrasound scanning service as part of their breeding programmes. It is a great tool to identify sheep with superior muscling, while avoiding those likely to be excessively fat. This is the best way of identifying animals with superior genes for muscling and this data is used to produce Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs).

The report presents evidence to inform decisions related to the development of the genetic improvement infrastructure for the UK sheep and beef sector, in order to improve financial sustainability and reduce environmental impact of the sector, including the current financial benefit of genetic improvement.

During the summer, we launched some new estimated breeding values (EBVs) for sheep farmers. To explain what these were and how useful they could be, we hit the road to talk to farmers about them at a series of workshops.

Farmers attending the workshops heard how careful ram selection can easily lift the value of lambs by £3–£5 a head, which would be worth an extra £1,000 over a ram’s working lifetime.

Assessing a ram’s genetic merit is key when looking to maximise profitability within the flock and accelerate growth from forage

Results from preliminary trials of the new PACs owned by SRUC support research findings from New Zealand, Ireland and other countries: methane emissions from sheep are feasible to measure on-farm using Portable Accumulation Chambers (PAC) under UK conditions and that there is variability between animals in methane emissions recorded by PACs that could potentially be exploited within breeding programmes.

AHDB are delighted to share news of our involvement in “Breed for CH4nge” an industry collaboration that will help the industry to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint. There are a number of exciting elements to the project that align closely to AHDB’s research interests, and the genetic services delivered by Signet. The project will enhance our knowledge of genomics, breeding for parasite resistance and CT scanning, whilst assessing the benefits of using Portable Accumulation Chambers (PAC) to predict methane emissions in grazing sheep.

Performance recording has been used within hill sheep breeding programmes for many years, but recent developments as part of the Hill Ram Scheme in Wales has led to changes in the expression of the index. From June 2023 the index will be expressed in £ as the expected annual return per ewe.

Signet are proud to announce the release of the UK’s first commercially available genomic breeding values for sheep. The release of genomic breeding values is a major first for the UK industry following research lead by Samir Id Lahoucine at SRUC; work was funded as part of the Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) lead Hill Ram Scheme and has been implemented as part of Farming Connects Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme.

The Hampshire Down Premier Sale 2023 in Shrewsbury had a record number of sheep entered from performance recorded flocks, providing buyers with a fantastic opportunity to use EBVs to guide purchasing decisions.

The Rossiter family claimed over champion female with lot 212, Huish Florence sired by an Australian import ram. This was the highest index female within the sale and ranked within the top 5% of the breed for Terminal Sire Index and Maternal Index. This September born ewe lamb then went on to achieve highest price female at the sale, selling for 1200gns to Jeremy Durrant’s Hydes flock.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is to make new breeding values for abattoir traits an integral part of the National Terminal Sire Evaluation through its Signet Breeding Services, following significant analysis of abattoir data. This new approach coincides with the release of the latest RamCompare results at a webinar on 11 May 2023 (book online).  

Catch up here - https://youtu.be/QW1OoJPK-_c

Friday 14th April saw the first ram sale of 2023 at Exeter Livestock Centre on behalf of the Centurion Group of Dorset Breeders. An entry of 56 Signet recorded sheep, which sold to buyers from across the UK.

Signets Sheepbreeder and Beefbreeder performance recording service allows breeders and buyers to identify those animals with the best genetics and make informed decisions. While providing breeders with tools to assist with the marketing of stock for sale at home and market sales.

The Lincoln Red Cattle Society premier show and sale at Melton Mowbray on Saturday 25^th March saw Signet recorded bulls achieve top prices and taking home a clean sweep in the show classes. The demand for performance recorded cattle wasn’t just seen in their prices but was also reflected in the clearance rates, 100% of performance recorded animals sold.

Join Signet Breeding Services for the annual results update from the RamCompare project’s UK progeny test, with updated results from the year seven data collection.

For the first time results will be released online as 38,500 abattoir records from 400 RamCompare sires are incorporated into the National Terminal Sire Evaluation. SRUC’s new breeding index will be launched as the project steps up a gear and makes abattoir derived breeding values more widely available.

AHDB are keen to support performance recording flocks based in England that wish to use SRUC’s CT scanning service.

AHDB will provide a support payment to SRUC of £55/lamb to support CT scanning services. Breeders can chose to take their lambs to Edinburgh or go to one of the mobile venues set up by SRUC. In 2023 AHDB are placing an additional criteria on breeders that wish to receive funding for CT scanning, which is that CT scanned lambs that are performance recorded with Signet must be genotyped (using a 50K genotype).

The Gortleigh Dorset flock was established by Gill and Richard Trace in 1986 on a 330 acre farm in North-West Devon. The breed was chosen for its ability to lamb naturally out of season, its versatility, adaptability and docility.

The Gortleigh flock has always been pro-actively managed using Estimated Breeding Values (EBV’s) and has been a member of the Centurion Dorset breeders group since 1997.

At a recent meeting, commercial farmers with Dorset sheep were discussing how important it was to select a ram that has been born as a twin.

In Autumn 2022 ten performance recorded hill flocks measured their lambs, assessing both individual FECs (for Strongyles and Nematodirus) and an immune response to worm challenge that is measured via blood samples, referred to as IgA. Measures were taken by farmers and vet and then assessed by Techion (for FEC) and Biobest (for IgA).

This webinar series, in partnership with the British Society Animal Science (BSAS) and Teagasc (Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority) aims to share the most recent research findings investigating methods to reduce emissions from livestock agriculture and how we can apply this directly to farm. 

Within our terminal sire breeding programmes we are often asked to put a commercial value on the genetic improvement we make in enhancing growth rate and conformation. While it is relatively easy to understand the value of increasing a lamb’s carcase weight, carcase conformation grade or changing fat classification, it is far harder to determine the impact of reducing days to slaughter.

We recognise the importance of generating consistency in the monthly breeding values published by Signet.

While the ranking of animals will change as new data is added to the genetic evaluation, breeders generally wish to avoid changes that lead to their animals re-ranking - unless the index of their favourite ram goes up of course! However, as time moves on the team of geneticists at SRUC do make recommendations on ways to enhance our evaluations and if it is going to help breeders to make better breeding decisions, then we try to take their advice. 

The Kelsey trophy is awarded to a Signet recorded Hampshire Down flock who has made the greatest genetic gain this year. This year it has been awarded to the Bridgehaugh flock, the flock has an impressive Terminal Sire index flock average of 287, putting the lambs within the top 5% of the breed.

Pictured is Graylen Officer who was the highest index ram in the breed at the premier sale in 2021 and was purchased by David for 4,600gns.

Catch up now on the recent webinar where Laura Eyles, Signet Breeding Services was joined by Dr Nóirín McHugh from Teagasc as she talks about projects in Ireland that have set out to measure methane emissions in Irish sheep flocks. She will explain why this work is important and what impact it is expected to have. Hear how selective breeding can be used to reduce methane emissions in the national flock and why genetic solutions are so important in enhancing this aspect of sheep production.

With farmers facing ongoing uncertainties including changes to basic payments and increased pressure to reduce carbon emissions, many suckler farmers are investigating ways to improve the efficiency of their cattle enterprises. Could AHDB's new maternal breed evaluations be the answer? Dr Alex Brown, AHDB's Senior Beef Breeding & Genetics Manager, explains more.

Performance recorded sheep continue to achieve top prices at recent sales across the country.

Utilising technology to make informed breeding decisions and identify animals with superior muscle across the carcase can increase carcase yield and the profitability of sheep enterprises. Laura Eyles, Senior Signet Breeding Specialist, explains how levy funded research and investment in the late 1990’s has allowed this world leading technology to be used within our sheep industry.

We have had a busy summer collecting data from our nine commercial farms involved with RamCompare this season and it has been fun getting to know how our new farms operate as we have worked alongside them collecting 8-week weight and 12-week weight /ultrasound scanning data from their lambs. This season we are collecting data from over 5,600 lambs, from around 95 different sires. Mating plans have been confirmed and many rams now through the quarantine and being put out with ewes.  

The Lincoln Red Cattle Society have recently announced their intention to provide all their members with free access to Signet’s services. As part of this new initiative with Signet, the Lincoln Red Cattle Society will fund the recording costs of any paid up Society member; effectively removing the financial barrier that may have previously limited smaller herds from engaging in weight recording.

Join Dr Nóirín McHugh from Teagasc as she talks about projects in Ireland that have set out to measure methane emissions in Irish sheep flocks. Together with Samuel Boon from AHDB they will discuss how selective breeding can be used to reduce methane emissions in the national flock and why genetic solutions are so important in enhancing this aspect of sheep production.

In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, our Signet Breeding Manager at AHDB, Samuel Boon, talks through the role of CT scanning when making breeding decisions, whilst Signet consultant Laura Eyles speaks to Kirsty McClean and John Gordon from SRUC to find out the how and the why.

Performance recorded ewes topped the female trade, a shearling ewe from the Cavick flock 21WVW01215 sold for 3800gns to the Ingram family. Other top prices in this section came from Signet recorded flocks, the Ingram family later sold a pair of shearling ewes for 1500gns 21ZNN37343 and 21ZNN37325, Onto the shearling ram trade, top price was achieved by the Ingram family, Logie Durno Walking Thunder 21ZNN37414 who was the pre-sale champion, and then sold for 7,000gns. The Ingram family’s Loanhe ...

Friday 8^th April saw the first ram sale of 2022 at Exeter Livestock Centre on behalf of the Centurion Group of Dorset Breeders.  An entry of 61 Signet recorded sheep, which sold to buyers from across the UK.

The Dorset May Fair continued to follow the positive start from the Dorset Centurion sale for performance recording breeders that took place at Exeter earlier in the month.

Different animals are known to react differently to changing climatic and weather conditions, and part of these differences may be genetic. Therefore, breeding for enhanced animal resilience to climate change has been proposed as a possible mitigation strategy. 

The aim of the present project was to examine the genomic profile of climate resilience in sheep, with a focus on identifying the desirable genetic profile of animals whose performance and growth do not change because of changing weather. 

RamCompare year six results have continued to show the correlation between Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) in terminal sires and commercial productivity in lambs.

Signet’s Shear Force research has also proven that the animal’s genes do influence tenderness and that measurements of tenderness can be used to produce breeding values.

RamCompare uses nominated performance-recorded rams from many breeds on commercial farms across the UK. RamCompare’s year six results demonstrate how rams with key breeding traits can optimise flock profitability. In four case studies flock profitability was enhanced by £1.98 to £5.17 per lamb; with some rams producing lambs that finished several weeks earlier than others.

The full results, which report the data collected and analysed from rams with the fastest growth rates, best conformation and most valuable progeny, will be presented in an industry webinar on 19 May, which is free to attend and open to all

To meet the needs of the commercial producer, ram breeders must select rams with the right carcase attributes, and this can be aided using EBVs to identify genetically superior animals. In order to assess muscling in the live animal, breeders can utilise measurement services such as ultrasound scanning and Computed Tomography (CT) scanning within their breeding programmes to find the best animals and make informed decisions

Commercial producers are seeing the benefits of looking deeper into an animal’s background before purchase and utilising data to make informed decisions rather than buying on looks alone. Many buyers are seeking high index terminal sires to improve their farm’s profitability; improving carcase conformation, reducing days to slaughter and increasing the value of the lambs sold

We are pleased to announce that Laura Eyles has joined the Signet team as a Breeding Specialist. She comes from an agricultural background having grown up on a sheep farm in Cornwall, where they keep commercial ewes and run a small pedigree Charollais sheep.

Over the last 6 months AHDB have been looking at ways to deliver the scanning service that will ensure continuity of service, value for money and guarantee national coverage. In this update we explain how the service will be delivered in the coming year.

Selecting a bull to breed replacements There is plenty to consider when searching for a new stock bull; health status, if the animal is fit for purpose, fertility checks, historical management and feeding practices, and whether the animal fits the objectives you have for your herd. The most accurate and proven way of doing this for the last point is paying close attention to Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs). What is an EBV? An EBV is the best estimate of an animal’s ability to pass characteri ...

Listen again to the best bits of the Sheep Breeders Roundtable 2021, with contributions from AHDB/Signet, HCC, QMS, Agrisearch and NSA

In the UK the Poll Dorset/Dorset Horn is well known for being an aseasonal breeder, capable of breeding out of season, with lambing frequently taking place in September and October.

At Signet we are interested in the genetic influences upon seasonal breeding and are greatful to Liz Nabb for completing a comprehensive mini-project on the seasonality of reproduction as part of her AHDB funded PhD.

While carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane are all important greenhouse gases, for sheep producers the most important is methane. Methane is an inevitable by-product from the fermentation process when ruminants convert forage into meat we can consume, often on land unsuited to other forms of food production. The good news is there are already a number of ways that selective breeding can reduce the amount of methane produced by the flock relative to the amount of lamb produced.

The results of a recent Signet survey show the value breeders place on the Signet service; 94% of breeders would recommend Signet’s performance recording services to other pedigree breeders.

Over 70% of Signet clients are also seeing improved financial returns through their involvement in performance recording; with Signet’s data helping them to reach new customers, price rams and improve on farm performance.

More innovative use of crossbreeding within the British sheep industry was one of the most significant findings in the latest Sheep Breed Survey. These results indicate that cross breeding strategies are becoming more diverse, reflecting the way sheep producers are adapting with the times and striving to improve performance.

The Sheep Breed Survey is an important reference point for researchers, funders and policy makers. It has been completed five times since 1971, with the last results published in 2012. The survey provides a unique insight into how the agricultural industry has changed over 50 years and highlights how future policy decisions may influence lowland and upland sheep production.

Join AHDB’s Signet Breeding Manager Sam Boon along with Dr Geoff Pollott from the Royal Veterinary College on Monday 16 August 2021 for a unique insight as to how our sheep industry has changed over the past 50 years. The Sheep Breed Survey results describe the breed structure of the British sheep industry at mating in 2020 and are based on data derived from a postal questionnaire sent to the 38,000 wool producers registered with British Wool in England, Scotland and Wales. 

Please register now online 

There was a great selection of performance recorded Charollais rams on sale at the Premier Sale at Worcester. 43% of the rams on offer were performance recorded and were well represented in the top prices; four of the top five prices were for performance recorded rams.  Rams in the sale had an average index in the top 25% of the breed, allowing a great choice for buyers to progress the genetics of their flocks. Breeders that performance record their flocks with Signet, record their animal’s ped ...

Ram breeding provides the genetics to increase the productivity of your customer’s flock. Performance recording means you can select and market the sheep with the most profitable genetics. Recording crossbred rams uses the same process as a pedigree flock, but you should consider:

The Antur flock of Texel sheep, owned by Aberystwyth University Farms, was one of the founder members of the Texel Sire Reference Scheme.  This scheme, started in 1990, introduced performance recording and genetic evaluation to improve growth rate and carcass quality, characteristics of major importance for commercial lamb producers. 

Performance recorded ram lambs lead the top prices at the Hampshire premier sale. The demand for performance recorded sheep wasn’t just seen in their prices, but was also reflected in the clearance rates. Performance recorded rams had a higher clearance rate nearly double that of their non- recorded counterparts.

The Dorset May Fair makes a positive start for performance recording breeders as the sale season gets underway. There are great levels of performance recording in the Dorset breed...

The fifth-year results from the RamCompare project reveal how rams with key breeding traits can drive productivity and optimise flock profitability and demonstrates how commercial producers can use specific estimated breeding values (EBVs) to identify rams with a high genetic potential and prove their worth when assessing financial impact.

From 1st June, Innovis have kindly agreed to provide ultrasound scanning services for Signet clients in those regions previously covered by Philip Evans.

Innovis already provide a Signet accredited scanning service as part of the Hill Ram Scheme which is running in Wales - with plans to scan over 50 large hill flocks over the coming months. By extending their team, they will partner with Signet for the rest of the season to provide scanning services to our clients.

Dorset sheep set bidders alight at Exeter May Fair A tremendous entry of sheep went under the hammer at the annual Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset May Fair in Exeter on 5 May. "The quality of the sheep here was fantastic" said judge Joe Dufosee. Full report from the Poll Dorset and Dorset Horn Association is posted here  In total, 1,493 head sold under the Kivells auctioneers, with 947 breeding ewes peaking at £220 apiece and averaging £173. In the ram ring, 119 stock rams averaged £1138 and sold ...

Join us at 7pm on Thursday 20th May to hear the latest results from RamCompare and our plans for the future

To sign up head to the AHDB website https://ahdb.org.uk/events/ramcompare-five-year-results

New rams and farms sought as RamCompare Phase III funding announced

Improving efficiency and reducing costs are both key drivers for any business. But for sheep breeders involved with the RamCompare project, investing in a ram with the right genetic merit for their system has proved to tick both boxes.

After the initial five years of research, funding has now been confirmed to allow the third phase of the project to get underway later this year.

Selling rams for breeding is all about genetics. In recent years, farmers have become more aware of the benefits of adapting breeds to meet the needs of their system. To help identify the best sheep to use for breeding, which will improve the following year’s lamb crop, Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) have been produced. 

This article explains how the Harding family developed the Aberblack; a modern, hybrid terminal sire.

By performance recording with Signet breeders can add value to their sheep enterprise in two ways, increasing ram sales and enhancing flock productivity.

In an era where livestock producers use genetic information to make informed decisions, it is important not to be left behind. Signet data gives ram buyers the confidence to invest in the best.

Whether you sell from home, auction or online, clearly it pays to record. Why wait? Join Signet today and start unlocking the potential of your flock. 

Jason Simms sat down with BSAS Vice-President Kim Matthews to discuss the implications and fallout as a result of Brexit on the animal science sector and what the future holds going forward.  To read more about the challenges and opportunities this provides click here This article was written by BSAS the British Society for Animal Science. For more information on BSAS head to their web page ...

Over the winter we have updated every sheep report so that our reporting services can be accessed directly from the database, day and night. In most cases each report can be produced as either a pdf report or as csv/xls files. The great thing about online reporting is that it is:-

• More flexible - meaning you can get exactly the information that you want for any given report
• Always up to date – as reports are produced in real time.

In 2017, a group of 6 North Yorkshire Swaledale breeders, with the help of AHDB Beef & Lamb, Signet Breeding Services and Kate Phillips, set out to prove that existing technologies could be used in the hills and uplands to improve the performance of their flocks. This has included genetic evaluation and meat yield assessment. The project has demonstrated that performance recording is achievable in a challenging hill environment and that technologies such as farm software, EID and EBVs are n ...

The Raburn flock wins the Kelsey Trophy for the Hampshire Down Flock making the most genetic progress in 2020 The coveted Kelsey Trophy, awarded to the performance recording breeder making the most genetic gain in the year, has gone to Joe and Rachel Henry and their Raburn flock for their 2020 crop of lambs. Using Signet Breeding Services performance recording, the Henry’s were able to increase the average lambs genetic potential by 42 Index points compared to last year. Flocks also making gre ...

Samuel Boon from Signet recently spoke at the SHAWG conference on genetic aspects to consider when breeding for health and welfare traits. The content can be found here, with Sam speaking at around 35 minutes in.  Further videos and webinars are available at here ...

Britain’s sheep producers are being encouraged to fill out national breed survey

Sheep producers in Britain are being urged to fill in the national Sheep Breed Survey, which is out this week. Jointly funded by AHDB, QMS and HCC, the national Sheep Breed Survey is an important reference point for researchers, funders and policy makers.

Those registered with British Wool will receive a postal copy, but all other sheep producers are being urged to take part in the survey and can acquire a copy online or by contacting AHDB directly.

Serum IgA testing 2020 IgA testing will be provided by Biobest Labs in 2020. The test is priced at £5.50/sample (saliva or serum). Please contact Biobest before samples are dispatched as the test is offered on the basis of prior agreement only. Samples need to be accompanied by the Submission Form. Please send samples to: Biobest Laboratories Ltd6 Charles Darwin HouseThe Edinburgh TechnopoleMilton BridgeNr PenicuikEH26 0PY Please contact Rebecca Mearns [email protected] if you ...

Major changes to the way farmers evaluate the genetic merit of hill sheep are set to make the selection of hill rams easier and more profitable, following the relaunch of Signet's performance recording services for hill sheep producers as part of the Hill Ram Scheme.

Performance recording adds value at Hampshire Down timed auction The Hampshire Down online timed auction sale was a great success, the online sale made the sale accessible to are wider audience which helped to drive demand. EBVs have always been important in assessing the genetic merit of sheep and with the auction being held online, helped to add extra confidence from the buyers when looking for sheep with top genetic merit, driving the prices higher. Performance recording secures sheep a pre ...

In the light of changes in Government policy we are taking steps to get staff back onto farms.

We are now able to provide a service, for those clients that wish to use it. Contact your nearest technician for more details

Read more

Joint ill is one of the lambing challenges that exorcises both seasoned sheep farmers and vets alike.  Sporadic in nature and caused by different combinations of reasons, it is a frustrating disease that a few people will tell you was particularly bad this year.

If you are a UK sheep farmer, regardless of whether you do or do not experience joint ill outbreaks, please do complete this survey https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/joint-ill-risk-factors-survey .

Considerations when scanning Ultrasound scanning is an important service for those breeders wishing to enhance carcase quality through the use of muscle and fat depth EBVs. When planning your scanning visit it is important to consider: The weight of the lambs you want to scan Whether your lambs have been treated with a pour-on blow fly treatment Whether lambs are going to be shorn or not prior to scanning How to deal with heavy lambs that will be sold prior to scanning If you are going ...

Fourth-year results of the RamCompare project reveal how sires with key breeding traits can drive productivity and optimal new sire purchases.

The latest update shows a great spread of rams among the most recent lists of trait leaders. Signet Breeding Manager, Sam Boon, urges breeders to focus on those traits that deliver the greatest profit to their system, and source recorded rams with the right EBVs to deliver them.

Join AHDB and Samuel Boon and Bridget Lloyd for a webinar to reveal the latest RamCompare project results.

The webinar will:

• Explain how the EBV’s currently available to ram buyers can influence the carcase attributes of their progeny
• Demonstrate the financial value of genetic improvement through a series of case studies
• Launch the latest RamCompare results, which lists the leading sires for each trait
• Show ram buyers how they can select and source recorded rams

RamCompare results will be released on 13th May

Join Sam and Bridget for a webinar to reveal the latest RamCompare project results.

Sign up here to join us or get a link to watch at a later date - https://ahdb.org.uk/events/webinar-ramcompare-project-2020-results

The cancellation of agricultural shows and breeding sales due to the measures and restrictions put in place as a result of the pandemic, has left sheep and cattle producers struggling to source their breeding stock in the usual way. With the new breeding season fast approaching, commercial producers can use Signetdata.com to find breeding stock and local breeders.

As part of the developments associated with our new webpage listing cattle for sale, Signet clients can now generate their own sale catalogues. 

A new web link on an animal's breeding report, now means beef producers can go directly to the AHDB National Beef Evaluation and see a series of new breeding values. The breeding values were created as part of the Carcase Traits project, which pulls together data from BCMS, Breed Societies and abattoirs to generate EBVs for traits like Carcase Weight, Conformation and Days to Slaughter.

Genetic gain has markedly increased in the last 5 years according to a recent review of genetic progress within Signet’s sheep breeding programmes. Major improvement has been observed in each of the breed types recorded through Signet; namely the terminal sires, lowland maternal breeds and hill sheep.

This article provides advice to breeders on recording their stock in the absence of ultrasound scanning data. New services have been developed to help breeders to supply data and promote livestock that are for sale

Update: 20th May 2020 - Scanning to resume for clients within 125 miles of a Signet Technician.

In the last 12 months our online reporting services for bull buyers and Signet performance recording beef herds have been completely updated.

Simple results, that are available to everyone include

• Cattle for Sale– lists bulls, cows and semen currently available for sale
• Latest Breed Results– providing links to the Sire Summary, Promising Young Bull List and the Breed Benchmark

In the last 12 months our online reporting services have been completely updated. This news item has been written to inform Signet clients about over 25 brand new reports and search tools that they can generate in real time from the Signet website.

As part of the developments associated with our new webpage "Sheep for Sale", Signet clients can now generate their own sale catalogues. 

Dr Forbes Brien is an Associate Professor with the University of Adelaide and an expert on the genetic influences on lamb survival, as well as research for the Australian wool industry on breech strike. He has also spent several years studying the impact of selection for growth and carcase traits upon the fatness of ewes and the resulting impact on their reproductive performance.

A Webinar will take place at 10am on Friday, 27th March to cover these topics.  

Click here to book onto the Webinar

• Webinar: Friday, 27th of March - at 10am 

With great sadness Signet would like to share the news with Signet clients that Stewart Nellist, a key member of Signet’s ultrasound scanning team for nearly a decade, passed away on Friday 7^th February after a period of ill health.

A new guide to Beef breeding has been compiled by Alex Brown (Beef Breeding Projects Manager) and Amy Hughes (Knowledge Exchange Manager) covering a wide range of subjects. This guide is a useful tool for anyone that is involved in beef breeding. The guide highlights the importance of breeding in any beef production system and how to select superior animals for breeding. Selecting superior parents leads to cumulative and permanent gains in herd productivity, profitability and efficiency. Which ...

Sheep Breeder's Roundtable a Huge Success In November, Nottingham played host to the Sheep Breeder's Roundtable; a three day sheep genetics conference attracting over 170 industry delegates including farmers, breeding companies, levy boards, vets and academics from the UK and abroad. The biennial Sheep Breeders Round Table is a collaboration between industry bodies with 2019 focusing on ‘becoming the best sheep industry in the world’. The conference included presentations from farmers working ...

Signet database heralds a new era for sheep industry

Sheep producers are set to benefit from a new online tool which makes it easier to find the right ram for a production system.

AHDB has invested in a new database and website for Signet Breeding Services which helps commercial and pedigree producers profit from performance gains associated with genetic improvement.

North Yorkshire Swaledale Breeders’ Group unveil three year project findings How to improve lamb growth rates, carcase quality and chose rams with traits that meet consumer demand will be showcased at a meeting in Goathland, Whitby on 2 October. Findings from a three year project, formed by the North Yorkshire Moors Swaledale Breeders Group, will also look at how farmers can adopt upland hill performance recording techniques within their own flocks. Sam Charlton, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Man ...

Saturday 29th June saw the Hampshire Down Sheep Breeders Association hold their Premier Sale at Shrewsbury Market with the top five sale prices going to high performance Signet recorded animals who have also excelled in the show ring this year. Lot 48 from Messrs K P & A E McCarthy, a ram lamb who earlier placed third in the untrimmed ram lamb class in the pre-sale show sold for 1550 gns. Son of homebred stock ram Ballycreelly 007, lot 48 is CT scanned and has a terminal index of 282 putt ...

Sandyknowe Suffolk trade proves strong demand for commercially reared, high performance rams with 100% clearance, good average price and sale topping at 5,000gns. Established in 1957, the Sandyknowe Suffolk flock consists of over 150 ewes bred in a five family rotation and is owned by Messrs. Malcolm M. Stewart of Roxburghshire, Scotland. The flock is bred specifically to provide high performance rams for commercial prime lamb production and hence is lambed outdoors in April and managed unde ...

“So often in life we take on systems to help improve something we do and in most cases it’s very hard to gauge just how much of a difference that has made to the end result…. In relation to what we are doing with our Suffolk’s, we can hand on heart say without question that both Signet recording and CT Scanning has played a central role in the success we had in selling at Kelso last week” says Scott Brown from Capielaw Suffolks after his ram lamb sales at Kelso last week. Scott has been Signe ...

A New Webinar has been released. Join AHDB’s Signet Breeding Specialist, Emma Steele and Fiona Lovatt from Flock Health Ltd, for a webinar giving you top tips for buying and looking after your rams, along with how to give them a ram MOT and understanding the estimated breeding values (EBV’s). Go to YouTube for more information ...

For the first time in the UK, ram breeders will have access to breeding values that focus on traits rewarded further down the supply chain, including primal weights of the loin and haunch and meat tenderness.  

AHDB news release  New Estimated Breeding Values to help improve results The value of investing in a ram with the right genetic merit for your system has been highlighted in results from the third year of the RamCompare project. The project has identified that commercial producers can identify the most profitable rams for their production system by using Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs). The latest results from the UK’s national progeny test now include new EBVs for traits like days to slaug ...

Monday 8th April saw the first ram sale of 2019 at Sedgemoor Auction Centre on behalf of The Centurion Group of Dorset Breeders. The sale offered 32 MV accredited, Signet recorded Dorset breeding ewes and rams. The sale was preceded by the “Selection Day event” when the best ram presented is chosen by secret ballot. It used to be that this ram was then “bought” as the Group Reference Sire and semen from it used across all members flocks. Most recently the rams are put up for sale by auction ...

Performance recorded rams claimed an extra 230gns per head over their unrecorded counterparts at the Exeter May Fair event, 7th- 8th May 2019. 103 rams sold to a sale average of 734gns. 30% of rams sold were Signet performance recorded and sold to an average of 898gns, whilst unrecorded rams sold to an average of 663gns. Top price of the day went to lot 67, an unrecorded ram lamb from Thomas Wright and the Ballytaggart flock at 3400gns. Second, third and fourth top price went to recorded she ...

In 2019, Signet will relaunch the genetic evaluation service provided for terminal sire breeds. Signet has spent the end of 2018 introducing the new analysis to terminal sire clients with a series of 16 breeder meetings held across the UK and hosted a public ‘Webinar’ shortly before Christmas. The new service will deliver AHDB-funded research through a multi-breed evaluation, including eight new estimated breeding values (EBVs) and a major change to existing traits, expressing breeding values o ...

Five new Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) have been developed to help farmers improve profits by producing more animals that meet target specification. AHDB Beef & Lamb has developed the EBVs in conjunction with Scotland’s Rural College and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales and these are now being released as the AHDB National Beef Evaluations. The five new EBVs are: Carcase weight (kg) Carcase conformation (EUROP classification) Carcase fat class (EUROP classification) Slaughter ...

For the first time in the UK, ram breeders will have breeding values that focus on traits rewarded further down the supply chain, including the primal weights of the loin and haunch and also meat tenderness. RamCompare is the UK’s commercial progeny test for terminal sire breeds. The project has assessed 138 rams from 9 different breeds over the last 3 years, collecting records from over 12,000 lambs. During 2016 and 2017, support from project partners Randall Parker Foods and Dunbia enabled a ...

Welsh pedigree Suffolk sheep breeders can now apply for a share of funding to boost the genetics of their flocks, thanks to the foresight of a group of pioneering breeders thirty years ago. BRIDFA was a group-breeding programme established in 1990 by a group of progressive Suffolk breeders to advance genetic gain within their flocks. The BRIDFA flock produced by this initiative ran successfully for many years and helped to raise the profile of performance recording. The ownership of the BRIDFA ...

Only a few maternal breeding programmes are selecting to optimise ewe efficiency by taking into account input costs over the ewe’s lifetime. Measurements of ewe mature size are needed if we are to create breeding values and breeding indexes that enable the selection of more efficient ewes. Modern approaches to electronic data capture enable producers to weigh ewes on a more regular basis and Signet has developed systems to capture this information. The Body Condition Score (BCS) of the ewe is im ...

The ‘Seek the Standard’ campaign has already taken off for the 2018 ram sale season with top genetic merit stock sporting our range of identifiers at premier breed sales across the country. As we approach many of the main commercial sales, it’s time to think about the sales you have entered and how you’re going to market breeding stock to stand out against the crowd. Gold-plus, gold and silver identifiers are designed to be worn round the neck of an animal and will identify animals in the top 5 ...

Gold plus means top rams and more profit this sale season. A new gold plus identifier has been introduced to help ram buyers identify top stock with the most productive genetics which could improve their profitability. The new identifier was created following the success of Signet Breeding Services’ ‘Seek the Standard’ campaign in 2017, and indicates rams in the top 5 per cent of their breed, based on index. This is in addition to the gold and silver identifiers which indicate rams in the top ...

The introduction of nine new CT traits and changes to how carcase traits are adjusted within the coming year will give terminal sire breeders enhanced tools to select the best stock. Could these new traits be included in the combined breed genetic evaluation? How would adjusting carcase traits for live weight, rather than age effect rates of genetic gain? See the report produced by Ann McLaren of SRUC here. ...

RamCompare project open for pedigree nominations Pedigree breeders have the opportunity to receive valuable information on their sires’ progeny by nominating rams and semen for use in the RamCompare project. Animals which are involved in the project now have new estimated breeding values (EBVs) available covering carcase weight, fat and conformation. These EBVs can be used when marketing these rams. In taking part, breeders will receive feedback on the performance of their rams for commercial ...

Using Saliva IgA to select sheep genetically resistant to parasites Gastro-intestinal roundworm infection can have a significant impact on lamb production and the ability to select sheep that are more genetically resistance to roundworms is a useful tool to combat this health challenge. For several years, breeders have selected breeding animals on the basis of their low faecal egg counts (FEC) using FEC EBVs produced by Signet. The FEC EBV produced by Signet is actually a sub-index comprisi ...

Work to convert AHDB and HCC funded research for abattoir derived carcase information into EBVs for beef and dairy cattle took another step closer this month, with the receipt of a new set of breeding values as part of on-going research. The striking part of this work is the sheer number of cattle that are now included in this multi-breed analysis, with over 65,000 sires with progeny included in the analysis. The numerically most dominant breeds are the Aberdeen Angus, Limousin and Charollais a ...

The Romney High-Index Scheme (RHIS) members have been involved with an EU project looking at parasitic phenotypes on new and introduced sheep breeds. The project has been part funded by Innovation for Sustainable Sheep and Goat Production in Europe (iSAGE) and AHDB Beef & Lamb. It has led to the first widespread collection of individual faecal egg counts (FEC) and saliva IgA measurements across the Romney Marsh breed. Over 470 lambs have been successfully sampled over the course of the summ ...

Reducing feed costs can make a big difference to the bottom line of all beef businesses. Enabling farmers to do that without affecting performance is the aim of the Defra and AHDB-funded Beef Feed Efficiency Programme. So far, feed intake records from 1,200 cattle have been collected which will be used to identify the genetic differences between the sires of those animals in terms of how efficiently they convert feed to liveweight gain. Including feed efficiency in the genetic selection indices ...

Three new estimated breeding values (EBVs) have been generated as a result of a major industry sheep breeding initiative which will help commercial producers to select rams which have the best potential to produce progeny that are more likely to meet market specification. Preliminary results from the RamCompare project were released to the industry at the Sheep Breeders’ Round Table on 17 November 2017. The initial results rank the leading sires within the project for a range of traits includi ...

The Beef Feed Efficiency Programme (BFEP) launched in 2015 with a major project worth £1.75 million funded by Defra and AHDB Beef and Lamb. Click HERE to read about the main elements of the project and starting a breeding programme for feed efficiency. Anybody interested in recording the genetic merit of their cattle for feed efficiency should contact [email protected] or call 0247 647 8824 to investigate the potential options available. ...

The Welsh Mountain Breeding Group’s 5th annual sale of Signet recorded rams took place near Aberystwyth last Thursday. The top priced Improved Welsh shearling, bred by E O Williams, Upper Wenallt, Talybont on Usk sold for £2150 to T & C Jones, Gwynfe. Sired by a ram from fellow group members TC & AJ Tyne, Pwllheli, he had an Index of 239, which put him in the top 5% of the breed.  Almost 40% of the Improved Welsh sold made £1000 or over, indicating increasing demand for Signet recorded t ...

Please find the latest update for the Beef Feed Efficiency Programme. This four-year research project began in 2015, to become a landmark for the knowledge and understanding of beef feed efficiency. The Defra and AHDB-funded programme aims to develop standard recording approaches and create a network of industry embedded recording units.Recording the levels of dry matter intake to determine the Residual feed intake (RFI) or net feed efficiency (NFE), measures the level of the animal’s dry matte ...

Simon P. Marsh, Principal Lecturer, Harper Adams University – Feb 2017 Click the link to read about the sixth study from Harper Adams comparing progeny performance from bulls with varying indexes. All six studies have shown that progeny from bulls with better figures and reasonably high levels of accuracy, perform better in the commercial herd. Omorga Volvo & Starline Decision Trial (August 2016) Omorga Volvo & Dirnanean Bradley Trial (February 2017) ...

Samuel Boon, Signet Breeding Services and Janet Roden, Independent Geneticist – October 2016 The use of ultrasound scanning to measure muscle and fat depth in Signet recorded flocks has been one of the great success stories of the last 30 years. The scanning services provides proxy measures for body composition in sheep breeding programmes designed to enhance carcase yield and conformation, whilst optimising fatness. Over the last 10 years alone the Signet team have scanned over 400,000 lamb ...

For 20 years Computed Tomography (CT) scanning has been used to assess the body composition of sheep, with CT derived information now routinely used within the terminal sire breeding evaluations delivered by Signet Breeding Services. Over 10,000 ram lambs have been CT scanned in this time and the use of elite CT scanned sires for breeding purposes has greatly increased rates of genetic gain for carcase composition and related traits. For more information on new CT traits for sheep, read the 201 ...

New EBVs for Beef Cattle Click the link below to read the final project report for the EBVs from abattoir data project. The project combines real abattoir carcase data and information from other national databases, including BCMS, to create genetic evaluations for actual carcase weight, conformation, fat class and age at slaughter. EBVs have been produced for nearly 3 million UK beef and dairy animals. It is hoped that the creation of commercially and financially important EBVs will stimulate ...

Substantial gains are being made in genetic progress for terminal sheep populations in the UK Genetic gain in recorded and unrecorded populations has increased dramatically since the initial sire reference scheme began in 1990, as demonstrated by the Terminal Sire Index (Figure 1) for Suffolk and Texel breeds. It is important to recognise that the rate of genetic gain is around 50% greater for recorded populations. It is thought that the purchase of breeding stock from recorded flocks that are ...

Click the link to read the latest guidance from AHDB on collection and storage protocols for DNA testing in cattle and sheep. ...

Beef producers in the UK aim to produce high quality meat as efficiently as possible but ultimately, payments for cattle relate to their carcase weight, conformation and fatness – with producers aiming for an R4L carcase or better on the EUROP grid. To provide commercial producers with better tools to aid bull selection, AHDB Beef & Lamb, AHDB Dairy and HCC funded a research project at SRUC to generate EBVs for carcase traits using actual abattoir generated carcase data. This means that bre ...

Signet and EGENES (SRUC) have been looking at creating a new postnatal lamb survival EBV to help breeders genetically improve young animal resilience and identify families with poor survival rates. The ability to enhance this trait could have a huge impact on animal welfare and flock profitability, especially in the current economic climate where every lamb counts. While it is recognised that the environment has a huge impact on the survivability of a ewe’s offspring, lamb survival in UK datas ...

Changes to the guidelines relating to the ultrasound scanning of sheep Samuel Boon, Signet Breeding Services and Janet Roden, Independent Geneticist – October 2016 The use of ultrasound scanning to measure muscle and fat depth in Signet recorded flocks has been one of the great success stories of the last 30 years. The scanning services provides proxy measures for body composition in sheep breeding programmes designed to enhance carcase yield and conformation, whilst optimising fatness. Over ...

Samuel Boon, September 2016 Based on work completed by EGENES/SRUC and funded by AHDB Beef and Lamb & Quality Meat Scotland   Summary AHDB and QMS recently funded two enhancements to the Scottish Blackface Breeding Evaluation and these are incorporated in your latest results. Improvements have been made to the way EBVs are calculated, particularly traits like the Litter Size Born EBV – and breeders now have access to two new traits. Breeders will notice changes in the scaling of a nu ...

Kim Matthews and Samuel Boon Whilst improvements in carcase conformation and fat class have been observed over the last decade, at present only 55% of prime cattle slaughtered in Britain met the target of E, U or R for conformation and 1, 2, 3 or 4L for fat class. One means of improving carcase quality is to breed cattle with better carcase characteristics. Currently this is done indirectly through measuring growth rate and associated carcase traits on the live pedigree animal – fat depth an ...

Genetic improvement delivers substantial economic benefit to the UK’s sheep and beef industries. The financial benefit to UK sheep producers via increased productivity is £10.7 million per year, with beef producers gaining £4.9 million. Following on from a review of genetic improvement in the UK’s sheep and beef industries in 2007 by Amer et al., a similar review was conducted in 2014 by Abacus Bio ltd. Consultation with breeders identified a considerable pool of individuals who were actively c ...

UK genetic evaluations of sheep have traditionally been undertaken within purebred populations. However, much of the UK sheep industry is a stratified system with approximately 56% of ewes in the national flock being crossbred and increasingly breeders are incorporating crossbred sheep into genetic improvement systems. Requests for across-breed Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) from these cross-breeding flocks are increasing. Breeders producing purebred and crossbred terminal sires could be serv ...

A new poster has been produced by Dr Jo Conington which explains about risk factors influencing lamb mortality. This is important work bearing in mind: Lamb survival is the key to more profitable sheep farming and good animal welfare. Managing known risks to lamb survival can lead to reduced lamb mortality. Breeding sheep with inherent ability to survive and withstand harsh rearing conditions leads to more robust farming system. Read more here ...

Implementing the use of spine traits in a commercial breeding program has been seen to improve meat production from the carcass of larger-bodied pigs. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of variation in spine characteristics within and between breeds of sheep and to investigate the association with body length and tissues traits to deliberate if a similar approach could be applicable in the sheep sector. Read Claire Donaldson’s full paper here ...

Alexander Graham Bell (first person to patent the telephone) was one of the first people to record the existence of sheep with extra teats – noting in his flock that initially these animals also tended to be more fertile. Within the UK strains of sheep with four functional teats have also been identified; proving of interest to both farmers and academic. Alun Davies has kindly allowed us to reproduce his publication on the “Performance of ewes selected to have four functional teats” He has id ...

Beef bulls have a major impact on the quality of the UK suckler herd as all suckler cows are sired by a beef bull. To improve the efficiency of the national herd it is therefore essential that the bulls used to breed heifer replacements, be it from the suckler herd or the dairy herd, carry the genetics to improve the maternal characteristics of their daughters. SAC have produced a note explaining how Maternal Trait EBVs can be utilised. Click here for the latest technical information ...

Pedigree breeders often ask how they can make faster genetic progress within their flocks. The rate of genetic change achieved within a flock is dependant on three things:• The heritability of the trait• The selection pressure• The generation interval Breeders have little influence on the heritability of the trait, but they can often increase the selection pressure within their breeding programmes. Whilst these two secrets to success are obvious, many breeders could also decrease the generati ...

The fifth Sheep Breed Survey has been completed in England, Scotland and Wales and gives a unique insight into the industry’s complex breeding structure. The breeding structure of the British sheep industry 2012, which analyses the results of a survey completed by nearly 10,000 wool producers registered with the British Wool Marketing Board, gives an insight into the popularity of different breeds and how the industry has evolved over time. It is the fifth such survey looking at the structu ...