Performance Recorded Lleyn Sheep

IT PAYS TO RECORD

Read these cases studies from Signet Recorded flocks to see how they profit from performance

Why Record Your Lleyn Flock?Signet analyse pedigree and performance data to provide an independent assessment of the breeding potential of Lleyn sheep for a range of economically important traits.

• Prolificacy • Milking ability• Lamb growth rate• Carcase conformation• Ewe mature size

This information can be used by pedigree and commercial sheep producers to aid selection decisions and breed more profitable Lleyn sheep.

By selecting for both maternal and growth traits the McGowans aim to increase ewe efficiency; seeking ewes that rear 1kg of lamb at weaning for every 1kg of ewe weight at tupping – with a lambing percentage that now settles around 180%. This selection policy has led to their Maternal Ability EBV (genes for milk production) doubling in recent years; their Maternal Index has also risen by 10 points/year.

An increase in genetic potential for growth rate of nearly 2kg has led to faster growing lambs and a reduction in the number of poor conformation carcases at slaughter. Lambs are finishing more quickly and costing less to produce.

Neil believes customers are seeing the benefits with 90-100% buying their rams based on EBVs, with a high proportion of repeat business. EBVs are a valuable marketing tool for their on farm sale in September – which this year saw 42 Lleyn rams average £1028.

Neil and Debbie McGowan Incheoch Flock, Perth and Kinross

Debbie and Neil McGowan have been breeding Lleyn sheep for over 20 years; they began recording with Signet in 2005. They wanted a ewe with strong maternal characteristics that would survive in their environment. Neil believes this means a “low cost ewe that will lamb outside with minimum intervention and raise a pair of purebred lambs that meet market specifications.”

Key Benefits of Performance Recording:• Improving ewe efficiency • Finish lambs quicker and at better

conformation• Marketing value of EBVs for on farm sales

Dennis Ison Denoak Flock, Lockerbie

Dennis Ison began breeding Lleyn sheep in 1986. Wishing to improve traits of economic importance, they began performance recording in 2006.

The Denoak flock is focused on increasing weaning weights from grass and muscle depth in the carcase. Eight Week Weight and Scan Weight EBVs are used to select breeding stock and the flock has seen a rise in these EBVs of 2kg and 3kg respectively. Better growth rates means heavier lambs at weaning and a reduction in days to slaughter.

To improve muscle depth Dennis takes advantage of Signet’s ultrasound scanning service. These real life measurements of muscle and backfat allow for the selection of breeding stock with superior carcase

attributes. The flocks Muscle Depth EBV has almost doubled since they began recording.

EBVs are an important source of information when selecting female replacements. Dennis says “each year the bottom 25-33% of the flock are replaced by the best shearling ewes.” This ensures the genetic potential of the breeding ewe is constantly increasing.

Key Benefits of Performance Recording:• Increasing weaning weight from grass• Increasing eye muscle depth through

ultrasound scanning• Selecting high performance ewes for retention

Bill and Julia Evans Longlands Flock, Worcestershire

Bill and Julia Evans have used performance recording since the 1970s to improve the growth and conformation of their lambs. They continually try to push their flock and the breed forward using EBVs.

Despite being completely wiped out in 2001 by foot and mouth disease the flock has made substantial genetic progress. This is particularly evident in the 8 week weights of lambs on the farm.

They have seen an increase of around 7kg in the liveweight of their lambs at 8 weeks of age, due to their selection for strong 8 week weight EBVs alongside maternal ability EBVs.

Not only has the liveweight improved at 8 weeks but Bill says the ram lambs being sent for slaughter now reach the desired 21kg deadweight easily. Bill has also seen the carcase conformation of these lambs improve so most are easily reaching conformation grade R and many more grades E and U than before. This has allowed the finished lamb sales to increase in flock profitability alongside the income from Longlands’ breeding ewes.

Bill and Julia have taken advantage of genetics available through the Lleyn Sire Reference Scheme. This has created greater linkage between their flock and others within the group. Not only has this allowed for more accurate EBV calculations but it has also meant they can introduce new bloodlines into the flock.

Key Benefits of Performance Recording:• Selecting for EBVs can increase lamb

liveweight• Improvement in connectivity through the Sire

Reference Scheme

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Peregrine Aubrey Slapton Flock Kingsbridge, Devon

Peregrine Aubrey runs a commercial flock of Lleyn ewes nr Kingsbridge, Devon. He is focused on improving profitability through performance – using Signet to analyse records collated through Border Software. Over 1500 lambs are performance recorded each year.

Recording on this scale allows Peregrine to evaluate and progeny test large numbers of animals, providing more accuracy to selection decisions and the potential to achieve high rates of breeding improvement.

The introduction of EID technology has made performance recording easier and more effective. Specialised computer software and systems for data capture enable him to harvest infinitely more data than would be possible using pen and paper. It also means he needs an unbiased and reliable analysis service to make the most of the data provided.

Peregrine believes “investment in performance recording will pay as the commercial value of improved genetics is recognised within the sheep industry” and that through performance recording he will be “able to breed rams of the highest commercial merit that could be sold to the commercial sector at reasonable price thus offering a high level of value for money.”

Key Benefits of Performance Recording:• Driving traits of commercial importance to

enhance profitability• Progeny testing on a massive scale• Utilising technology to make management

easier and records more accurate

To scan or not to scanDifferent Lleyn breeders have different breeding priorities. This is unsurprising given the range of conditions under which the Lleyn is kept. Some breeders are focus on breeding “the ultimate mum”, others wish to enhance the carcase attributes of their highly productive Lleyn ewes.

Ultrasound scanning provides an accurate and objective way to assess carcase conformation in the live animal. Lambs are scanned at 21 weeks of age and these measurements can be used to identify breeding lines with superior carcase attributes.

Sire Reference SchemeThe ability to compare the EBVs of sheep reared in different flocks is heavily dependent on the existence of genetic linkage between flocks. This linkage is used to assess differences in feeding and management – so that animals with superior genes can be identified more clearly.

The Lleyn Sire Reference Scheme was founded in the 1970’s to increase the linkage between flocks, share superior breeding lines and provides a collaborative approach to the breeding and marketing of recorded Lleyn rams – culminating in an annual ram selection day.

This friendly group of breeders is always keen to welcome new members. For more information contact Bill Evans on 01886 821431.

Why record?EBVs enable breeders to make focussed breeding decisions for traits of commercial, economic importance; using an independent assessment of maternal and carcase traits.EBVs are a valuable marketing tool, enabling breeders to add value when selling rams and semen at auction, off farm or online.

How to startFor more information contact Signet on 0247 647 8829 or email signet@eblex.ahdb.org.uk for a starter pack.

Where to find information?EBVs for recorded Lleyn sheep can be found on the Signet website www.signetfbc.co.uk Reports of the leading stock rams and ram lambs are published online, together with a Search facility that enables breeders and buyers to check the EBVs for recorded sheep and print sales charts and family trees.

Signet is part of EBLEX and supports the EBLEX Better Returns Programme

www.signetfbc.co.uk

EBLEX is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)

© Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2014. All rights reserved.

New developments in Lleyn recordingThe number of Lleyn sheep recorded with Signet has grown tremendously in recent years. This data is being used to enhance Lleyn evaluations.

During 2013 research work has been completed to:• Enhance the way that maternal ability (genes influencing milk production) is evaluated• Update the heritability values and genetic correlations used to calculate Lleyn EBVs• Introduce a new EBV for “Litter Size Reared” - to compliment that of “Litter Size Born”

This work enhances the information provided to Lleyn breeders and provides a starting point for future developments to the service.