When recording Embryo Transfers (ET) lambs breeders must avoid to record the ET as ‘naturally born’ lambs under the Genetic (Donor) ewe. ET lambs must be recorded against their Surrogate/Recipient (carrier) ewe.

When recording your ET lamb under the Surrogate/Recipient ewe, the details of the ET lamb’s Genetic Dam and Sire can be recorded easily.

Glossary:

• ET: Embryo Transfer
• Genetic/Donor ewe: This is the ewe which the fertilised eggs were taken from
• Surrogate/Recipient: This is the ewe which gives birth to the lamb

Recording your ET lambs

A problem that many breeders encounter when trying to record their ET lambs is that the Surrogate/Recipient ewe is not in the breeders Sheep Ireland flock inventory. This ewe will need to be added to the flock inventory before the ET lamb can be added.

By clicking on ‘Add ET lambings‘ on your Lambing Management page and following the simple directions outlined here, you will be able to create Surrogate/Recipient ewes as required. Sheep Ireland will create temporary (dummy) Surrogate/Recipient ewes to record your ET lamb/s.

In some cases breeders may use existing commercial or pedigree ewes in their flock inventory as ET surrogates. If these ewes already exist in your flock inventory, there is no need to create another temporary (dummy) Surrogate/Recipient ewe. Breeders can simply record the ET lambing under the relevant ewe within their inventory.

To record a lambing against a recipient ewe that is already present in your Sheep Ireland inventory, please return to the lambing page and select that ewe.

Both the Genetic Dam and Sire can be recorded when recording the ET lambs details under the Surrogate/Recipient ewe. The genetic Dam and Sire must already exist on the Sheep Ireland database.