What is RamCompare?
RamCompare is the national progeny test for terminal sire breeds and is a joint-levy funded project (AHDB and HCC) with Signet Breeding Services providing data collation and analysis services. The project is supported by Quality Meat Scotland and Agrisearch in Northern Ireland.
The project works with partners across the food chain to drive faster rates of genetic improvement in the UK sheep industry. RamCompare supports this goal through the provision of data from commercial farms and abattoir records which are incorporated into the genetic evaluations delivered by Signet.
Each year nominated performance-recorded rams are taken from various terminal sire breeds and used on commercial farms across the UK. The progeny produced from this breeding programme are monitored from birth through to slaughter with the data collected being fed back to Signet.
To date we have progeny tested over 468 rams from 17 different breeds, collecting data from over 44,000 lambs in one of the largest trials of its kind. For more information go to ramcompare.com
We are recruiting new flocks
We are looking for additional commercial sheep farms across England and Wales to join the project to support our data collection activities.
Within RamCompare there are slightly different ways that flocks can engage with the project depending on their willingness to use artificial insemination (AI) and provide access to the lamb crop for ultrasound scanning.
What do RamCompare farms get from the project?
· Engagement in one of the UK’s leading sheep breeding projects
· Provision of recorded rams for natural mating (with associated health/fertility tests)
· Funding to undertake AI and access to AI sires for a portion of the flock
· A farm payment (dependent on the quality and quantity of records provided)
When can you get involved?
New farms will join the project ahead of the 2024 mating season and will remain involved for two breeding seasons. New rams will be provided this year and next, to enable progeny testing to commence in 2025 and complete in 2026.
The application process is open now and will close on Friday 3rd May 2024.
