AHDB funding to support CT scanning in 2024

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 2024 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
Dates and locations can be found here

AHDB support the genotyping of CT scanned lambs in Signet recorded flocks

All CT scanned lambs coming from Signet recorded flocks must be genotyped (using a 50K genotype) to build our bank of genotypes for research purposes.

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

For Charollais breeders, Suffolk and Hampshire Down breeders, please genotype your sheep through your Breed Society; up to £24/sample (incl. VAT) will be provided to contribute towards genotyping costs. The funding of this work will be administered through your Breed Society.
For other breeds, unless breeders ask to use 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 for these animals.
There is no 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 potential stock rams. Please contact Signet if you have any queries regarding genotyping services.

Posted by Laura Eyles on 12 Mar 2024

News, Sheep, Client Reminders, Articles

About the author

Laura Eyles

Laura 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 flock of pedigree Charollais sheep.

Laura has a strong interest in animal breeding and genetics having studied Animal Science (BSc Hons) at Harper Adams University. During her time at Harper, she spent an industrial placement in Cumbria working for a sheep breeding company and some of our clients may recognise her from this role. Since graduating she has worked for a large cattle breeding company before joining us at Signet to lead on a number of Signet’s sheep breeding projects.