Are you interested in Scanning this year?

• If you wish to have your flock scanned for Muscle and Fat depth this year please TEXT the word SCANNING to 089 4577665 before May 22nd. A final reminder text has been sent out to all flocks that have not yet confirmed that they want to scan before the deadline.
• Ultrasound scanning information is used as a very good predictor of carcass confirmation, fat levels and kill out percentage (KO %), all very important traits to the commercial farmer and the €uroStar evaluations. The more scanning information we collect from your flock and/or breed, the higher the accuracy of the evaluation for your sheep will be, therefore giving you and your potential customers more confidence in their purchasing decision. If your lambs are scanned between 121 and 180 days of age this will also count as your third weight (not including birth weight). Lambs will also be scored for lameness, dagginess and condition score on the day, all of which will go towards a new health index in the future.
• Muscle and Fat depth recording is also one of the entry requirements for entering the annual LambPlus sale being held on August 27th in Tullamore

• For more information check out our Ultrasound Scanning for Muscle and Fat depth page.

Day Weights collected on the CPT Flocks: John Large

• Over the past number of weeks Sheep Ireland have been visiting the Central Progeny Test flocks to capture lambs 40 day weights. All CPT ewes and lambs have been weighed over the past few days. All animals were also scored for Lameness, Dagginess, Condition score and ewes were checked for mastitis. The option  to record these traits are now available to all LambPlus breeders through their LambPlus accounts and we encourage as many breeders as possible to record these traits.
• Weights: Below is the breakdown of the ADG across the different birth ranks on John’s farm. Lambs were on average 16.09kg at 40 days of age which works out as 0.290kg per day.

Dagginess

• Lambs that were recorded with dags (Score 1, 2 & 3; 9.7 % of lambs) averaged 13.5kg while lambs that were scored as clean (Score 4 & 5) averaged 16.3kg. We have found dagginess to be a heritable trait therefore we will soon be able to select breeding stock that will remain cleaner throughout the year as well as having increase ADG.
• All udders were checked during the 40 day weight recording for signs of mastitis. On the day 3.46% of ewes were recorded with mastitis.
• To see how to record health traits on your flock Click here.