Bowhill Estate to Host RamCompare Event

A Selkirk sheep farm is hosting a free evening event on Wednesday 26 June to highlight the benefits of the RamCompare project to commercial sheep farmers.

The RamCompare open evening at Carterhaugh Farm on Bowhill Estate (TD7 5HE) will showcase how understanding ram breeding traits can help you to pick rams that suit specific production systems, ultimately helping to meet target market specifications.

Bowhill Estate is one of nine commercial farms involved in UK-wide RamCompare project. This five-year breeding project aims to improve genetics in commercial flocks and is part-funded by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) through the Ring Fenced Fund for collaborative projects between AHDB, QMS and HCC.

Sion Williams of Bowhill Estate is keen to showcase the difference a ram can make to the efficiency and productivity of a flock. Mr Williams has recorded 700 lambs for RamCompare this year and has been struck by the variation in performance.

“I’m excited to host the RamCompare event at Bowhill as it’s a fantastic opportunity for commercial farmers to get a clear indication of the difference a ram can make to the productivity and efficiency of their flock,” said Mr Williams.

Launched in 2015, RamCompare is the the UK’s commercial progeny test and tests performance recorded rams from various different terminal sire breeds. The project has determined that commercial producers can identify the most profitable rams for their production system by using Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs). The latest results from the UK’s national progeny test, which now include EBVs for traits like days to slaughter, primal yield and tenderness will be available at the event.

Sarah Millar, Head of Industry Development at Quality Meat Scotland, said: “It’s important that commercial farmers have the opportunity to see the results of the project first-hand and I would encourage any farmer that is interested to go along.”

The RamCompare event at Carterhaugh will begin at 4:00pm with an optional ultrasound scanning demonstration at 3:00pm. Bridget Lloyd from AHDB will give an overview of the RamCompare project at the meeting and Sion Williams will give an update of how the project is progressing at Bowhill.

This informal event will end at 7pm with Scotch lamb burgers. You can register for the event via Eventbrite here or by contacting Laura Strang at lstrang@qmscotland.co.uk or 0131 472 4040 by Monday 24 June.