Are you a pedigree breeder importing rams or ewes into Ireland?
Each year a considerable number of LambPlus pedigree ram breeders travel abroad to source new genetic lines for their respective sheep breeds.
As the €uroStar indexes are unique to Ireland, Irish performance recording breeders are often concerned about how an imported animal’s genetic evaluation will look when added to Irish national sheep database.
How are these animals given a €uroStar rating in Ireland?
It is a common misconception that ‘Imported animals begin life in Sheep Ireland as a 1-star animal and must build from there’ – this is incorrect.
In most cases, the Sheep Ireland database has some information about the animal being imported. For example, we may have another animal/s on the database that share a similar ancestor/s to the incoming animal. This existing ancestor data will inform the ‘starting point’ for the new animal’s genetic evaluation.
When there is no information about an imported animal, that sheep is assumed to be the ‘breed average’ by our genetic evaluation system. As data is recorded on the animal in question, the genetic evaluation will either increase or decrease from this starting point.
What can be done to establish a reliable (high accuracy %) €uroStar genetic evaluation for an imported animal?
The quickest way to generate a more reliable genetic index for an unknown imported animal is to genotype the ram or ewe in question as quickly as possible. This will provide a genomic genetic evaluation for the animal. After this, the collection of data on the animal (birth information, lamb weight data, daughter lambing data, etc) will help to establish and stabilise the animal’s genetic evaluation further and build the animals accuracy %.
Can anything be done before purchasing a foreign animal to predict its €uroStars?
Yes, there is.
The best thing a breeder can do before purchasing foreign genetics is to check the animals that make up the ancestry of the sheep in question on the Sheep Ireland database (breeders can search related animals that are already on our database using the Flockbook Animals tab though our Ramsearch webpage)– i.e. members of the family tree already linked to sheep on the Sheep Ireland database.
The relevant breed’s Irish online flockbook search (usually found via the relevant sheep breeds website) can be used to carry out this check. If a breeder successfully finds that members of the family tree are already linked to Irish sheep, the genetic evaluations of these sheep can be assessed. These existing sheep will determine the ‘starting’ genetic evaluation of your new imported animal.
In the situation where there is no link between the ancestry of the potential import and the Irish sheep database, then breeders should assess if the imported animal has genetic evaluation information from their country of birth available.
While Ireland has not yet established direct genetic evaluation links with other countries, we have seen reasonably high correlations between Irish indexes and the indexes being provided in our neighbouring sheep industries (for animals with high accuracy % attached to their respective genetic evaluation). This existing foreign genetic evaluation information will provide a good indication as to where the respective animal will rank when evaluated on the Sheep Ireland €uroStar system.
Further advice
As with all animal purchases, there is an element of risk when it comes to their genetic evaluation.
Over time an animal’s genetic evaluation can rise and/or fall based on the data being recorded by breeders all over Ireland using that particular bloodline. Until the accuracy % of an animal’s genetic evaluation is high, the potential for index changes is high. This is a reality of genetic evaluations worldwide, across all species. Generating large volumes of data on a bloodline in a short period of time is the gold standard for establishing a more stable genetic evaluation for a new bloodline. Getting the genetics used within the CPT and/or one of the many commercial sheep farms performance recording on the Sheep Ireland database may be an option to generate such data in a quick timeframe. Breeders interested in discussing any of the above can contact us here in Sheep Ireland on 023 88 20 451 or email us at [email protected].
In summary:
Check the ancestry of your potential import on Irish society online flockbook search facilities (paying close attention to accuracy %).
Assess the genetic evaluation information available for your potential import and its ancestry tree in the country of origin (paying close attention to accuracy %).
Genotype your imported animal as soon as possible after purchase to view its genomic genetic evaluation.
Performance record any progeny born to your imported animal diligently.
Assess the potential to include your imported animals genetics in one of Sheep Irelands commercial data programmes.