Commercial and pedigree sheep farmers in the north west of England and south west Scotland will have the chance to learn more about how using performance recorded rams could help their flocks at an event hosted by the Case family’s Nab Point Texel flock.
The open afternoon at Plumpton Cottage Farm, Newland, Ulverston, on Monday 1st August was conceived as a way of helping local commercial customers understand more about EBVs and how they can use them in their ram selection, explains Will Case.
“We’ve been recording for three years now and are seeing a growing interest among our customers for recorded rams. However, like many things there is a lot to understand when it comes to performance recording and I myself am still learning about it. I felt it was important to help potential customers learn from the experts.
“Sam Boon of Signet will be attending the event to give an overview of recording and explain the system and how the indices produced can help commercial buyers produce lambs more efficiently and to the desired specification.”
In his own situation running a large commercial flock alongside the pedigree Texel flock and beef and dairy enterprises, Mr Case says he has learnt a lot about his flock from recording. “Its great to get another insight in to how the flock is performing and without a doubt EBVs are proving to be a useful selection tool for us.
“We use our own Texel rams in the commercial flock each year and having chatted to a few long-term recorders we’re not looking closely at fat cover and using rams with positive fat indexes to encourage easier fleshing in our crossbred lambs.”
Mr Case says with much uncertainty in the sheep sector at the moment aiming to produce sheep with lower feed inputs has to be on the agenda for most producers. “That’s not to say we shouldn’t feed at all as every situation is different, but if we can produce more sheep from less feed that has to be a good thing for our businesses.”
Staring at 2pm the open afternoon will give visitors the chance to see this year’s selection of shearling rams from the Nab Point flock as well as the flock’s crop of gimmers.
For more information and to register for the event see the AHDB Beef and Lamb website.
