Blackface Rams on the Move

Three Scottish Blackface flocks have purchased Shearling rams from Greenmount hill farm based on their Signet performance data. These rams were sold through the Blackface Elite website. The performance figures for each ram was displayed on the website, plus an accompanying photograph. All rams had a Scrapie Genotype ARR/ARR. A further four rams were bought by three Northern Ireland blackface flocks. Table 1 shows the Signet performance data for the three rams sold to Scotland and Table 2 explains what EBVs are and what a Blackface breeder should be looking for.

Table 1 Signet Performance Data for Rams Sold to Scotland

Table 2 Explanation of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs)

Signet performance recording looks at the family tree of each sheep and assesses how all members of its family have performed. It uses this family based information in conjunction with the animal’s own performance details to predict how each individual animal will perform. Physical information such as the weight of the animal at 8 and 20 weeks plus an ultrasound scan at 20 weeks are used in this prediction model.

To improve accuracy and to take out on farm effects, such as feeding, the system works best when farms are connected, by sharing a stock ram. These are called reference rams and the genetic linkage is measured in terms of Connectivity. A and S Welsh (Mossfennan) own the six best-connected Signet performance Blackface flocks in the whole of the Blackface Elite group, which now consists of seventeen flocks. With the sale of Ram 21 to Mossfennan, Greenmount will improve their connectivity with the other Scottish and Northern Ireland Blackface flocks, that are currently Signet recording.

To improve connectivity further, Greenmount purchased rams from two Blackface Elite flocks. An added benefit of these purchases is that the selected rams have maternal and/or carcass Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) in the Top 1percent of the breed (Table 3). As no Blackface flocks are Maedi-Visna monitored, these rams were purchased in April 2005, so they can complete a six month quarantine period, before the mating period in November.

Two rams were sourced from Mossfennan, one being a son of the Bruiser, a former reference sire. The other ram came from the Scottish Agriculture College farm at Castlelaw. These rams will be used to mate a proportion of the 500 Blackface ewes that are in the 5 family rotational breeding pattern at Glenwherry hill farm.

Left to Right: Mark Armstrong (Wester Tullich Shepherd) his daughter Sarah, Brian McAllister (Greenmount Hill Farm Manager) and Sandy Welsh (Mossfennan)

Left to right: Keith Ogle (SAC Castlelaw Shepherd) Lewis Mc Clinton (Sheep Technologist Greenmount Campus), Brian Mc Allister (Greenmount Hill Farm Manager)

Table 3 Signet Performance Data for Purchased Rams

Greenmount would extend an invitation to any Blackface breeder to join the five Northern Ireland Blackface flocks that are currently Signet performance recording. If you have any interest or queries regarding performance recording please contact Dr. Steven Johnston at Greenmount Campus, CAFRE (Tel:02894 426748).