Genetic improvement in Dorset’s is delivering at the abattoir
For more than 50 years Dorset breeders have recorded the performance of lambs on their farms to improve genetic merit of breeding stock and enhance the value of carcases at the abattoir.
This isn’t their sole focus as they have made important gains in maternal traits like milk and prolificacy, but by measuring lamb growth rates and ultrasound scanning prime lambs to assess muscling, they have transformed the carcase attributes of Dorset-sired lambs.
The challenge with this approach is that it has always focused on proxy measures for the traits of interest. A better approach would be to use measures of days to slaughter, carcase weight and carcase conformation to generate more informative breeding values with a greater commercial understanding– and this is exactly what they have done.
To date, nearly 7,500 abattoir records have been supplied for pure-bred Dorset lambs and using genetic approaches established through the RamCompare project. We now have a much better understanding of the genetic relationships that exist between those traits measured in the live animal within our pedigree flocks and those attributes expressed by progeny in the abattoir at the point of slaughter.
What has the evaluation of abattoir data shown?
The latest results derived from AHDB funded research shows exactly what the Dorset breed has achieved through selection for growth and carcase traits, with lambs born into recorded flocks now having the genetic potential to finish nearly 10 days faster, with significantly heavier carcases.
How can ram buyers use this data?
When buying Dorset rams, producers should select stock sires with high Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for Scan Weight and Muscle Depth if they want lambs to finish quickly and receive a premium for conformation. In addition, ram buyers should start using the new breeding values for abattoir traits, such as days to slaughter and carcase conformation, to capitalise on the best genetics the Dorset breed has to offer.
Laura has joined the Signet team as a breeding specialist, she comes from an agricultural background having grown up on a sheep farm in Cornwall, where they keep commercial ewes and run a small flock of pedigree Charollais sheep.
Laura has a strong interest in animal breeding and genetics having studied Animal Science (BSc Hons) at Harper Adams University. During her time at Harper, she spent an industrial placement in Cumbria working for a sheep breeding company and some of our clients may recognise her from this role. Since graduating she has worked for a large cattle breeding company before joining us at Signet to lead on a number of Signet’s sheep breeding projects.
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