AHDB to support CT scanning for 2023

CT Scanning Dates and Locations for 2023

17th - 21st April	Edinburgh
27th - 28th April	Stratford Upon Avon
15th - 19th May	Edinburgh
25th - 26th May	Possibly Stratford or Skipton as a new site if breeders are keen. Contact the CT unit if interested
14th - 19th June	Edinburgh
29th - 30th June	Stratford Upon Avon
24th - 28th July	Edinburgh
14th - 18th August	Edinburgh
23rd - 24th August	Aberystwyth
11th - 15th September	Edinburgh

Please note that the mobile scanner will be provisionally booked for these dates but, as usual, we need to have a minimum of 100 lambs over 2 days for each scanning session with the mobile scanner. Numbers at Edinburgh are more flexible. Please note, any eligible breed can be scanned on any of the dates above providing SRUC is notified in advance. Contact Kirsty McLean to enquire Email: [email protected]

CT Scan Charges

CT scan charges are normally subsidised by the relevant bodies in England, Scotland and Wales.

Unsubsidised charges are as follows:

Edinburgh – £85/lamb
Mobile Site – £115/lamb

Lambs withdrawn within 10 days of the scan date will be charged at the full unsubsidised rate.

AHDB funding in England in 2023

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.

Eligibility for CT support is as follows:

Funding is only available for ram lambs
Each lamb must be fully performance recorded (with an 8 week and scan weight held on file) and with known parents
Breeders must send a minimum of 5 ram lambs per flock (with a selection of sires represented); funding is limited to a strict maximum of 8 lambs per flock.
Funding in 2023 will be restricted to the following breeds; Beltex, Blue Texel, Charollais, Dutch Spotted, Hampshire Down, Meatlinc, Shropshire, Southdown, Suffolk and Texel
Breeders must be based in England

New AHDB criteria for Signet recorded CT scanned lambs in 2023

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).

AHDB will support breeders in getting this done, including the provision of additional funding towards genotyping costs.

For Charollais breeders – please genotype your sheep through your Breed Society. Genotyping costs will be covered by AHDB, with assistance from the Charollais Sheep Society.
For Suffolk and Hampshire Down breeders, please genotype through your Breed Society; £20/sample will be provided to contribute towards genotyping costs.
For other breeds, unless breeders have access to alternative methods of blood/tissue sampling, we will ask the CT unit to take nasal swabs at CT scanning time. AHDB will decide which animals they wish to genotype and where genotyped, AHDB will cover the genotyping cost. There is no AHDB requirement for Texel sheep to be genotyped.

AHDB funded genotypes will be shared with Breed Societies where data sharing agreements are in place and may represent a cost saving for those breeders that are required to genotype future stock rams.

Posted by Samuel Boon on 16 Mar 2023

News, Client Reminders, Sheep

About the author

Samuel Boon

I am the Manager of Signet Breeding Services, within the AHDB.

Enthusiast on all things genetics to do with sheep and cattle and currently also supporting Bridget Lloyd in running the @RamCompare progeny test with ~18,000 lambs/annum.

I am also involved with the:-

Relaunch of Terminal Sire Breeding Programmes (Sheep)
AHDB lead for the Welsh Sheep Breeding Project run by HCC - working with Innovis, HCC and Janet Roden
Database design and development for this website
National Sheep Breeds Survey
Development of Carcase Trait EBVs in Beef Cattle
Formerly involved with the delivery of the Welsh Sheep Strategy, Northern Upland Sheep Strategy, Suckler Cow Project, Highlands and Islands Sheep Strategy

I can be followed on Twitter @SamBoonBreeding