How does it all add up?

To have a more profitable sheep stock a commercial hill farmer needs ewes that are better mothers, have heavier lambs & the lambs have better carcase grades.

This can be worth almost £2000 per annum

All genetic improvements are cumulative so an improved tup leaves improved daughters in the flock and then these can be mated to yet another improved sire.

For example if we mate the daughters of tup T (Heavier Finished Lambs) to a similarly improved sire such as a reference sire chosen for 2005/6 season The Monarch

EBVs (see Using EBVs and Indexes is easy)

EBVs
2005/6 Ref Sire -

500 daughters of Tup T (or a similar tup)

Mated to the Monarch or a similar tup

Lambing at 122% (see Heavier Finished Lamb lambing % 122 instead of 100%)

The calculation is easy

Half the EBV for scan weight (the nearest to finished lamb) SIRE 1.98
Half the EBV for scan weight DAM 1.24

Add together = 3.22kg

610 lambs from 500 ewes (lamb at 122%, not 100%)

610 lambs @ 3.22 kg more = 1964 kg more

Can YOU afford to have a Flock that does NOT use Improved Sires?
* if lamb sells at £1/kg liveweight

• Performance Recording
• Are better mothers
• Produce heavier lambs
• Have lambs with improved carcases
• Give better returns

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