RamCompare hits major milestone with call out for new ram nominations
The RamCompare project is celebrating its tenth year in 2025 and is seeking new rams to join this year’s breeding season.
The national progeny test, joint-funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), once again needs rams or semen from performance-recorded, terminal sire breeds. Launched in 2015, the project tests terminal sire rams with Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) in the top 20% of their breed. Natural service sires should be shearlings or stock rams with a known, high health status. Older stock rams are welcome providing they are fit and fertile. The project also purchases frozen semen in batches of 30 doses for use via AI.
Bridget Lloyd, RamCompare project coordinator, said: “This is a great opportunity for breeders to get involved. Testing their ram’s genetics within the national progeny test will provide them with important data which can be used to promote future ram sales.
“Improving efficiency and reducing costs are key drivers for any business. Nominating rams to RamCompare allows breeders a unique opportunity to gather information which can demonstrate how their rams could benefit individual enterprises for potential buyers.”
Matt Harding is the owner of the Bentley Suffolk flock and has supported the project for many years and is enthusiastic about the benefits it brings to his business: “Putting our stock rams onto RamCompare via artificial insemination (AI) is a great opportunity to test them while retaining their genetics for our own flock.
“Progeny performance is recorded on commercial farm settings, with growth data collected from birth through to slaughter. This vital feedback allows us to ensure we are moving our flock genetics in the right direction, and we are excited to see how our latest rams have performed.”
Since RamCompare’s launch, over 503 rams have been tested, producing more than 48,000 lambs, helping farmers select high-performing sires whose progeny deliver valuable carcasses and reduced production costs.
Samuel Boon, Senior Animal Breeding Manager (Signet) said: “This is an exciting time for the project, with Signet set to release genomic breeding values for abattoir traits. It is great that breeders like Matt recognise RamCompare results as valuable when marketing rams. Practical demonstration of the benefits of breeding values to aid commercial ram selection are vital.”
For more information, visit: ramcompare.com. Nominations close on Friday 16 May 2025. You can access the forms directly through the following links:
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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