With the introduction of the new Sheep Improvement Scheme, sheep farms are required to buy genotyped rams. Hill farmers can buy a lowland 4 & 5 Star ram or have the option of buying a Sire verified Hill ram. Sheep Ireland has been in contact with all the Hill breeding groups in the country and has received quite positive responses to genotyping and what it can deliver for their groups and the Hill sector nationally.
Sheep Ireland has decided to ensure all hill ram breeding groups get an equal opportunity for a positive individual outcome from the start of this new scheme, by offering FREE Stock ram genotyping to all group members across the 17 hill groups.
It is thought with this incentive that Breeding groups will develop a bank of stock ram DNA that will act as a base for breed authentication, breed improvement, and lead to a much needed flock book development within these groups.
What is required to receive this subsidy?
1. Breeders must be the current owner of the ram and must be a member of one of the Hill Ram Breeding groups listed below.
- Brockagh Perth Blackfaced Sheep Breeders Association
- Brockagh Swaledale Mayo Blackface Sheep Breeders Association
- Connemara-Mayo Blackface Sheep Breeders Association
- Cooley Sheep Breeders Association
- Donegal Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association
- Donegal Cheviot Sheep Society
- Kerry Blackface Breeders Association (Dingle)
- Kerry Blackface sheep Breeders Association
- Mayo-Connemara Blackface Sheep Breeders Association
- Munster Blackface (Ram Lamb) Association
- Sliabh Liag Long wool Perth Association (Donegal)
- Sub-A district South of Ireland Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association
- Tir Chonaill Blackface Group
- Waterford Blackface Sheep Breeders Association
- West of Ireland Lanark Sheep Breeders
- Wicklow Cheviot Mountain Sheep Breeders Society
2. Ram has got to be 100% of a Hill breed.
3. The Ram has to be born in 2021 or any year previous
To get your stock rams (&Ram Lambs / Hoggets) genotyped please follow the link below and fill in the necessary information and Sheep Ireland will be in contact with you.