YOUR WIN-WIN OPPORTUNITY
- as a Lleyn breeder

By Carol Davis, Signet Breeding Specialist

Everyone is interested in producing or buying female and male replacements that meet their requirements. It is nearly impossible to identify animals with the best breeding potential 'by eye' alone because farm and management influences (e.g. feed, health routines) will greatly affect an animal's appearance. As the sheep industry moves towards lower inputs, greater efficiency, easier care, and the need to address climate change issues, an animal's positive genetic ability in economically important traits (e.g. growth rate, lean meat, milking ability) becomes increasingly more important.

Some traits are only expressed through females (e.g. milk), but the genetics are carried and passed on by both parents - half from the sire and half from the dam, but not necessarily the same half to each of the progeny! Therefore, males and females have influence on performance for both terminal and maternal traits. We also have to remember that twins and embryo transfers will not have the same genetic makeup, because only clones share the same genetic profile. What we need to identify are animals who consistently pass on positive genes for traits of interest. Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), that are produced as part of the independent analysis system used by the Lleyn breed, do this and are expressed with an indication of their accuracy.

At a sale, can you identify which ram will produce the best finishing lambs or the best mothers? That large single ram lamb - do you know how much of its' growth was due to his dam's milking ability, its' own growth genes or the creep feed it was fed? By weighing lambs, accumulating the data and using computer programmes to untangle the information we can predict the genetic potential for the heritable traits of Milking Ability and Growth rate. We can also measure trends over time.

Does it matter? Yes . Using a ram with high Growth rate and Maternal Ability will produce females that milk better and have the ability to grow better on the same inputs. It allows you to either reduce your inputs (e.g. feed) to achieve the same targets, or achieve your targets more efficiently (e.g. finish lambs earlier or start lambing later). It enables Lleyn breeders, and their buyers, to improve profit margins whether producing purebred stock, commercial slaughter lambs or commercial breeding ewes.

Too much work? No . Sending in the lambing information to Signet will record most of the information required. However, all lambs born need recording - including the stillborns and those that die before weaning. Only by recording all lambs, 'good' and 'bad', can you get a clear assessment of any particular animal's performance. This is especially true for maternal traits (e.g. litter size, maternal ability).

Performance recording : Birth Notification (sire, dam, date of birth, numbers born and ear numbers, fostering) needs to be sent to Signet Breeding Services. The breeder then weighs each lamb between the ages of 42 and 84 days of age and submits this data. For most flocks this only involves one weigh date, but protracted lambing may require another later weigh date for later born lambs. Taking a further weight at around 21 weeks of age can assess later growth and is either carried out by the breeder or at the same time as ultrasound scanning. Using ultrasound measures how much of the weight is muscle or fat and this service is provided by AHDB-approved technicians.

Mature Size - weigh your gimmers: Selecting for growth rate without measuring the mature size of the ewe can increase the overall size of the breeding female over time. Weighing shearlings/gimmers, before putting to the tup for the first time, can monitor and identify genetic potential for Mature Size. There are individual sheep that grow fast without producing large mature animals, you just need to identify them. Weights for gimmers need to be submitted to Signet in the autumn.

Accuracy is important: Ensure accurate recording by sending in complete birth notifications, cleaning and oiling the weigher for accurate weights (test by weighing a couple of bags of feed), and booking an approved Technician to ultrasound scan.

Win-win: As more breeders record their flocks the larger the pool of information and the higher the accuracy of the EBVs, giving everyone the opportunity to source animals that meet their requirements. Lleyns are analysed on a recorded breed basis and the EBVs are comparable across flocks. A win-win situation - for all Lleyn breeders, the Lleyn breed and the sheep industry as a whole!

Accessing EBVs: Lleyn flocks who performance record through Signet receive paper-based printouts of their flock's performance after 8 weeks and after the later weighing or scanning. They can also receive results in an electronic spreadsheet format. Lleyn breeders, and their buyers, can identify animals that meet their requirements via the internet and at sales held all over the country. Look out for the performance cards and catalogue information and use the search facility at www.egenes.co.uk/bascosearchsheep/

How can I join in? Contact Signet on 0247 647 8829 for an information pack, visit the website www.signetfbc.co.uk , or email us at signet@eblex.org.uk

Who are Signet? Signet Breeding Services provides the independent UK-based performance recording system for sheep flocks in the UK . Signet is part of the AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) based at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire. The analysis is carried out by Egenes, which is part of SAC, and the cost of the UK analysis is funded by the devolved Levy Boards (EBLEX, HCC and QMS).