Pioneering work shows genetic traits that makes lambs more attractive to consumers

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. This data was collected over the first five years of the research project, with analysis now complete providing information on leading sires for this performance trait.

AHDB Animal Breeding Senior Manager, Samuel Boon said: “While it is challenging to routinely collect these measurements within our national breeding programmes, the results of this work will be useful when developing genomic approaches and in assessing the value of proxy traits that may influence meat eating quality.”

The tenderness of lamb has a major influence on consumer acceptability. Tenderness is influenced by several non-genetic factors, such as the animal’s age, but it is also known that an animal’s genetics can influence this trait.

Within RamCompare, Shear Force measurements were collected from 4343 samples, taken from 254 of the project’s sires. AHDB staff obtained loin samples from the carcases of RamCompare lambs and measured shear force from cuts that had been defrosted and cooked in a standardised manner. Shear Force measures were taken by repeatedly assessing the pressure required to pass a steel blade through a cut of meat.

Whilst most lambs on the trial were notably tender, significant differences were found between sires and the approach clearly shows that genetically superior sires can have a marked effect on traits that directly influence consumer acceptability. 

Results from Shear Force and RamCompare are now available on the Signet website at www.signetdata.com.

For more information, please contact AHDB Animal Breeding Senior Manager, Samuel Boon 024 7647 8826, [email protected]