Dupath Farm - Flock profitability influenced by carcase weight and conformation

Dupath Farm, Cornwall - Flock profitability influenced by carcase weight and conformation

The value of lambs at Adrian and Lyn Coombe’s Dupath Farm was strongly influenced by the genetic merit of their rams, where rams with high Carcase Weight EBVs routinely increased the value of commercial lambs by over £4.00 per lamb.

With the genetic potential to lift carcase weights by over 0.5 kg, the top-performing sires – the Meatlinc from Clive and Jenny Richardson and the Charollais ram, Dalby Ranieri, from Charles Sercombe – share an attribute in common – they are both the product of CT scanning. 

CT scanning enables ram breeders to select breeding lines with superior yields of meat at a given liveweight and in the case of both of these rams, they sit comfortably within the top 5% of their breed for the CT Lean Weight EBV. It is therefore perhaps no surprise to see these two rams also had the highest proportion of E and U-grade carcases.

The value of recorded rams at Dupath Farm
• Top sires for carcase merit = Generated an extra £4.29/lamb
• Top sires for days to slaughter = Reduced finishing time by 8 days 

Key message
Buying high-index rams from flocks that use CT scan data can lift both carcase weights and conformation.