If you are interested, contact me for more information or simply complete the application form and return to [email protected] by the deadline Friday 3rd May 2024.
What is RamCompare?
RamCompare is the national progeny test for terminal sire breeds and is a joint-levy funded project (AHDB and HCC) with Signet Breeding Services providing data collation and analysis services. The project is supported by Quality Meat Scotland and Agrisearch in Northern Ireland.
The project works with partners across the food chain to drive faster rates of genetic improvement in the UK sheep industry. RamCompare supports this goal through the provision of data from commercial farms and abattoir records which are incorporated into the genetic evaluations delivered by Signet.
Each year nominated performance-recorded rams are taken from various terminal sire breeds and used on commercial farms across the UK. The progeny produced from this breeding programme are monitored from birth through to slaughter with the data collected being fed back to Signet.
To date we have progeny tested over 468 rams from 17 different breeds, collecting data from over 44,000 lambs in one of the largest trials of its kind. For more information go to www.ramcompare.com
We are recruiting new flocks
We are looking for additional commercial sheep farms across England and Wales to join the project to support our data collection activities.
Within RamCompare there are slightly different ways that flocks can engage with the project depending on their willingness to use artificial insemination (AI) and provide access to the lamb crop for ultrasound scanning.
What do RamCompare farms get from the project?
Engagement in one of the UK’s leading sheep breeding projects
Provision of recorded rams for natural mating (with associated health/fertility tests)
Funding to undertake AI and access to AI sires for a portion of the flock
A farm payment (dependent on the quality and quantity of records provided)
When can you get involved?
New farms will join the project ahead of the 2024 mating season and will remain involved for two breeding seasons. New rams will be provided this year and next, to enable progeny testing to commence in 2025 and complete in 2026.
The application process is open now and will close on Friday 3rd May 2024.
What do RamCompare flocks need to do?
Ideally flocks joining RamCompare will meet the following criteria*:
Minimum of 300 uniform breed ewes
Mated to performance recorded Terminal sire rams selected/approved by the project
Experienced EID user with own equipment and at least two years’ experience to collect data, including the ability to collect lambing records and lamb weights
Able to rear all trial lambs on the same management system
Ability to finish lambs quickly over a defined time period
Able to allocate ewes to single sire mating groups and undertake laparoscopic AI, if required
Using an abattoir that reports standard kill data linked to an individual lamb ID
Known flock health status, i.e. clear for MV, OPA, Johnes and following an active health plan
After finishing university, Bridget worked on two well-known sheep research projects operating out of Aberystwyth University; the Longwool project and the Welsh Sheep Strategy.
In the year 2000, Bridget took a leading role in Cymru Breeding Services, (later Innovis and now known as AB Europe). Bridget was centre manager specialising in ovine fertility, operating a stud for 100 rams and coordinating four vet teams. She has specialised in ovine fertility and has worked closely with pedigree sheep and their breeders throughout her career.
With an extensive background in the sheep industry she now runs RamCompare. Her main responsibility is to liaise with project farms and abattoirs to ensure the data submitted is accurate and delivered on time, as well as co-ordinating the communication plan and ram nominations....and hundreds of other things.
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