RamCompare project seeks top quality tups
Eblex
| AHDB Beef and Lamb
The team behind the RamCompare project has communicated with breeders to identify rams that can be used for the artificial insemination (AI) section of the project
Eight AI rams are required for year one of the two-year project; two Texel, two Charollais, two Suffolk, one Meatlinc and one Hampshire Down. Many of the potential AI rams have been identified. Semen that has already been collected from widely used sires is being used where possible, but some rams are being sent for semen collection .
The next step will be to purchase 24 rams for use by natural mating within the single-sire mating groups in the first year of the trial. Six each of Texel, Suffolk and Charollais, and three each of Meatlinc and Hampshire Down are being sought, and all breeders who are involved in performance recording are being communicated with to seek nominations.
The criteria for these 24 rams include that they must be:
The criteria for these 24 rams include that they must be:
• Performance recorded
• In the top 20% of the breed based on growth and carcase EBVs
• From a flock with good genetic linkage to other flocks
• Known and high health status
• Available from July 2015
A fixed price will be offered and there can be a maximum of two rams per breeder. Mature stock rams with progeny on the ground can be nominated, and if too many rams that fit the criteria are put forward then proximity to RamCompare flocks will be used as an additional filter.
Samuel Boon, EBLEX Breeding Services Manager, said: “This is an exciting phase of the RamCompare project, as we seek to find the rams that will start off the initiative.
“We have been in touch with all registered performance recorded breeders and are confident that the project will move forward with some of the best rams available involved.”
Rams will be selected to ensure there is variation in the genetic merit of those tested, and where possible the team will seek to ensure different breeding lines are used.
The RamCompare project was announced earlier this year, and has the aim of driving genetic improvement forward through the inclusion of commercial data in genetic evaluations. It will work along the supply chain to get lamb performance data from farms and abattoirs included in genetic evaluations. The project is a pilot to trial strategies for data capture and will be similar to central progeny tests that are taking place in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
