Promising initial results from hill ram scheme

Gwawr Parry, HCC’s flock genetics executive who co-ordinates the scheme, says: “These initial results are exciting and show promise that the hill ram scheme and the use of genetic performance recording will allow hill farmers to produce lambs for a wider range of markets by using genetics.

“The concept of the hill ram scheme was created in order to help hill farmers become more resilient and sustainable in their businesses; allowing them to target various aspects of flock performance to produce lambs efficiently and within a wider range of market specifications.

“In a hill environment it is difficult to target growth and finishing in lambs. However, these results show that small genetic differences can have a big impact on margins without fundamentally changing farmers’ systems.”

The leader flocks are now nearing completion of their second lambing season as part of the scheme and a second wave of new participants are also in the final stages of their first lambing season.

A second expression of interest window to join the scheme ended in March this year, with a third and final wave of new flocks set to join in autumn 2020.