Central Progeny Testing (CPT)
The Central Progeny Test (CPT) was set up not as a breed comparison, but rather as a ram and trait comparison. It is focused on identifying our best sheep genetics regardless of breed. The CPT provides the basis for assessing a large number of rams, and linking this information to an even wider number of animals throughout that breed’s pedigree history.
Genetic links between breeds and breeding groups are critical elements to any genetic evaluation programme. Without genetic linkage the performance of different groups of sheep could not be fairly evaluated. The intention of the CPT is to evaluate as many new sires as possible annually, while genetically linking new bloodlines and strengthening existing ones as best possible throughout Ireland.
What traits are measured, when, how and why?
What is Genetic Linkage?
To maximise the genetic linkage that can be delivered by the CPT, Sheep Ireland attempt to locate widely used pedigree sires across different regions around the country. By taking these rams to a single location and using them on the same flocks, this is genetic linkage working at its very best. Environmental influences on lamb performance are largely eliminated as all lambs are subject to the same conditions, be they climatic, feeding, level of management etc. Essentially rams are now truly operating on a level playing field.
The CPT is set up to:
- Examine how much industry rams can vary in growth rate to slaughter.
- Examine how much industry rams vary in maternal merit.
- Foster links between Breed Societies, Ram Breeding Groups, and the wider Breeding Industry.
- Identify leading sires and benchmark sires.
- Demonstrate to the industry the extent to which rams varied in the value they could add to farm returns.
- With the collection of valuable data, improve our understanding of the genetic control of carcass merit and maternal merit and their relationship with other production traits.
The CPT was first started in 2009 with 30 Rams from 5 Breeds used through AI across 2100 ewes. In the breeding season of 2019 there was 27 rams successfully used for AI across 6 different breeds and on 4 different flocks (click here to see CPT flock profiles). All rams are sourced from active LambPlus Flocks based on the number of relatives the ram has in other LambPlus flocks and their Replacement index along with other criteria. Performance data will be collected on all the resulting lambs & this information will be included in each ram’s individual evaluation along with its relatives evaluations.
Sheep Ireland CPT Rams 2019
| Breed | Year of birth | Pedigree ID | NSIS | Owner name | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belclare | 2017 | MG1800535 | IE045979100535H | Teagasc Athenry | Galway |
| Belclare | 2018 | JR1911615 | IE042821311615E | John Renehan | Kilkenny |
| Belclare | 2019 | BE1901392 | IE044843201392F | Eoghan Barrett | Galway |
| Belclare | 2018 | MY1803155 | IE043927003155B | Roy Butler | Westmeath |
| Belclare | 2019 | LD1902385 | IE042905702385H | John McTigue | Galway |
| Belclare | 2017 | BE1801217 | IE044843201217F | Eunan Bannon | Westmeath |
| Charollais | 2016 | A5416035 | IE044308903184A | Maria Philpott | Cork |
| Charollais | 2018 | D818035 | IE042764902432A | Alan & George Leech | Laois |
| Charollais | 2015 | 16WKW00247 | UK031362300247 | John Grealish | Galway |
| Charollais | 2018 | D5618003 | IE042309201783B | David O' Gorman | Galway |
| Lleyn | 2016 | 24191600552 | UK074099700552 | David Beattie | Cavan |
| Lleyn | 2018 | 16471808403 | IE042849508403C | Simon Brown | Kilkenny |
| Suffolk | 2017 | CFN1702680 | IE041451302680D | James Rooney | Sligo |
| Suffolk | 2018 | KKW1801025 | UK173144101025 | Robert Walker | Limerick |
| Suffolk | 2019 | 9001905608 | IE041437805608C | Eric Blakeney | Sligo |
| Suffolk | 2018 | CZK1800915 | IE043113900915D | Gregory Rossiter | Wexford |
| Suffolk | 2018 | 67B1802188 | IE041443702188H | TJ Broderick | Galway |
| Texel | 2018 | DEE1805625 | IE043573805625H | Flor Ryan | Kildare |
| Texel | 2018 | PXE1803147 | IE044561203147A | Ann & Robert O' Mahony | Cork |
| Texel | 2017 | ASI1701490 | IE042861101490H | Edward Tynan | Kilkenny |
| Texel | 2019 | PNE1913033 | IE042481513033B | Stuart Rothwell | Wexford |
| Texel | 2019 | UJI1903211 | IE041819603211F | Gerard Delaney | Laois |
| Texel | 2019 | GBE1902254 | IE043548202254H | Diarmuid Keane | Limerick |
| Vendeen | 2019 | LJB19008 | IE043106100922E | Shay Kennedy | Waterford |
| Vendeen | 2018 | TGD181639 | IE043330901639J | Michael McGrath | Westmeath |
| Vendeen | 2019 | CCN19008 | IE043824102508C | Ciaran Coughlan | Offaly |
| Vendeen | 2018 | CCN18029 | IE043824102429E | Martin Conboy | Roscommon |
Sheep Ireland CPT Rams 2018
| Breed | Year of Birth | Pedigree ID | NSIS | Owner Name | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belclare (Link) | 2016 | JR1609437 | IE042821309437D | Eoghan Barrett | Galway |
| Belclare | 2015 | MN1511041 | IE042497511041A | Salesian Ag College | Limerick |
| Belclare | 2015 | TG1522069 | IE042413322069D | Teagasc Research Centre Athenry | Galway |
| Belclare | 2017 | MY172944 | IE043927002944E | Roy Butler | Westmeath |
| Belclare | 2017 | WD1701485 | IE043817801485E | Lisa O'Sullivan | Kerry |
| Belclare | 2017 | JR1710183 | IE042821310183F | John Renehan | Kilkenny |
| Charollais (Link) | 2016 | D3216059 | IE041437804840C | Alan & George Leech | Laois |
| Charollais | 2016 | 16PE04907 | Edward Buckley | Cork | |
| Charollais | 2018 | A618003 | IE042837507603A | Brian Burke | Tipperary |
| Charollais | 2016 | A5416035 | IE044308903184A | Maria Philpott | Cork |
| Charollais | 2013 | A8113001 | IE043406900311D | William G Doherty | Mayo |
| Charollais | 2018 | D8218089 | IE041357502451B | Michael & Sarah O'Neill | Wexford |
| Charollais | 2013 | 130018H13 | Stewart Thompson | Donegal | |
| Lleyn (Link) | 2015 | 8091509158 | UK058205909158 | David Beattie | Cavan |
| Lleyn | 2016 | 19411601649 | IE045007301649B | Nicholas Sweetman | Wexford |
| Lleyn | 2014 | 6191402463 | UK030767502463 | Simon Brown | Kilkenny |
| Suffolk (Link) | 2016 | HCT1616684 | UK052150916684 | Jim & Frampton Jeffery | Cork |
| Suffolk | 2017 | 9001704922 | IE041437804922G | Valerie Tiffin | Kerry |
| Suffolk | 2018 | PBH1801174 | IE041594601174F | Charles J Hughes | Mayo |
| Suffolk | 2018 | UWS1802056 | UK170002102056 | Michael Purcell | Kilkenny |
| Suffolk | 2017 | FKV1703487 | IE043040003487C | Salesian Ag College | Limerick |
| Texel (Link) | 2017 | DLI1706506 | IE043638106506H | Anne Murphy | Wexford |
| Texel | 2018 | PXI1803087 | IE044561203087C | Anne Murphy | Wexford |
| Texel | 2017 | ZEI1701716 | IE041111701716D | Pascal Keogh | Meath |
| Texel | 2017 | OKI1705687 | IE041406805687D | Aiden & David Craig | Meath |
| Texel | 2018 | FGE1800264 | IE045159000264B | Thomas Kenny | Galway |
| Texel | 2018 | QYI1801738 | IE044381501738D | Enda Turley | Westmeath |
| Texel | 2015 | BIE15019 | IE043702001807F | Michael Bird | Meath |
| Vendeen (Link) | 2015 | LJB15011 | IE043106100811J | Alan McGrane | Meath |
| Vendeen | 2018 | OCQ18015 | IE041412802831H | Cheryl O'Brien | Cork |
| Vendeen | 2015 | OCQ15046 | IE041412802471D | Ciaran Coughlan | Offaly |
| Vendeen | 2016 | OCQ16013 | IE041412802548H | Ena Nagle | Cork |
Sheep Ireland CPT Rams 2017
| Breed | Year of Birth | Pedigree ID | NSIS | Name | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belclare | 2017 | JR170162 | IE042821310162B | J. Renehan | Kilkenny |
| Belclare (Link) | 2013 | TF131634 | IE042821309561F | J. Renehan | Kilkenny |
| Belclare | 2016 | MG160288 | IE045979100288D | M. Gottstein | Cork |
| Belclare | 2016 | TG1623359 | IE042413323359A | Teagasc Athenry | Galway |
| Belclare | 2017 | BE171109 | IE044843201109G | E. Barrett | Galway |
| Belclare | 2014 | MJ142793 | IE042200702793G | R. Butler | Westmeath |
| Charollais (Link) | 2015 | A5415021 | IE044308903005B | P. Holland | Galway |
| Charollais | 2017 | H117016 | IE041043903253A | J. Nolan | Carlow |
| Charollais | 2017 | A5417035 | IE044308903334J | E & P O'Gorman | Tipperary |
| Charollais | 2014 | 14WRF00262 | UK074615500262 | E. Buckley | Cork |
| Charollais | 2016 | D3216059 | IE041437804840C | A & G Leech | Laois |
| Suffolk | 2015 | KPC1500519 | UK179072400519 | E. Duffy | Meath |
| Suffolk (Link) | 2015 | LYB1501370 | IE042200001370A | C. Hughes | Mayo |
| Suffolk | 2013 | NDX13012 | UK173128900132 | M. Purcell | Kilkenny |
| Suffolk | 2016 | HCT1616684 | UK052150916684 | J & F Jeffery | Cork |
| Suffolk | 2017 | PWW1700059 | IE045972800059A | R. Moore | Kilkenny |
| Suffolk | 2015 | F621501028 | IE042748301028C | T. Egar | Kildare |
| Texel | 2017 | DLI1706506 | IE043638106506H | A. Murphy | Wexford |
| Texel (Link) | 2016 | CII16017 | IE043749315727F | G. Delaney | Laois |
| Texel | 2017 | JJF1705127 | IE041437805127B | R. Madden | Meath |
| Texel | 2016 | DIE16012 | IE043054404740E | D & J Keane | Limerick |
| Texel | 2016 | WGA1602989 | UK010166200989 | A. O'Keeffe | Cork |
| Texel | 2017 | DGI1701678 | IE041993901678F | J. Kelly | Kilkdare |
| Texel | 2014 | DEE14045 | IE043573804745B | P. Kenny | Longford |
| Texel | 2015 | AMF15011 | IE043782201222E | S. McHugh | Donegal |
| Lleyn | 2013 | 6191302190 | UK030767502190 | S. Brown | Kilkenny |
| Lleyn | 2015 | 8091509158 | UK058205909158 | D. Beattie | Cavan |
| Lleyn | 2010 | 18791006670 | IE042890106670G | S. Potterton | Kildare |
| Lleyn | 2015 | 8091508856 | UK058205908856 | W. Galvin | Offaly |
You can find the 2016 CPT Rams here and the 2015 CPT Rams here.
Contact Sheep Ireland on 023 882 0451 or at [email protected] if you have any further questions on the Central Progeny Test.