Midland Farmer - September 2023

6 MIDLAND FARMER
September 2023
Farmers
can
register
interest
for SFI
Farmers can now
start registering their
interest for the Sustainable
Farming
incentive (SFI).
The Department for
Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs
(Defra) will accept
applications for the
scheme from Monday,
September 18.
Pre-registration will
ensure farmers are
supported to have all
necessary information
in place so they
are ready for when
the department starts
to accept applications,
Defra said.
There are 23 actions
on offer under the
new 2023 scheme,
including on soil
health, moorland,
hedgerows, integrated
pest management,
farmland
wildlife, buffer strips
and low input grassland.
Secretary of State
for Food and Farming
Thérèse Coffey said:
“The Sustainable
Farming Incentive is
important for sustainability
– for production
and profitability.”
“With opening up
the options, from mid
September for everyone,
there is likely to
be an opportunity for
every eligible farmer
to join SFI.”
Defra said payments
under SFI 2023 will be
paid quarterly to support
farmers’ cashflow
and activities
required in the
scheme.
Farmers are encouraged
to pre-register
for the scheme and
have all necessary
information in place,
including online
maps and land use /
cover details, before
applications start
being accepted.
COUNTRYSIDE
STEWARDSHIP
The application
window for 2024
Countryside Stewardship
(CS) Mid Tier
agreements has been
extended until Friday,
September 15.
Defra said farmers
are able to be in SFI
and Countryside
Stewardship at the
same time as long as
the actions are compatible
and they are
not being paid for the
same action twice.
Genomics will ‘revolutionise’
performance in sheep sector
The science of genomics is set to revolutionise
the pace at which genetic
improvement can be secured within the
sheep sector.
This was the key take-home message
delivered by Signet Breeding geneticist,
Sam Boon, during his presentation to
the recent EasyCare sheep open
evening, hosted by Co. Antrim flock
owner Campbell Tweed,
According to Boon, 2023 marks 50 years
of the Agricultural and Horticultural
Development Board (AHDB) Signet programme
in the UK, a period of time that
has seen a revolution in the science associated
with the performance recording
of sheep.
“The good news is that the rate of
genetic gain within the sheep sector is
now increasing at an exponential rate.
And this is tremendous news for commercial
flock owners,” he explained.
“It is now possible to breed for so many
traits that are performance recorded.
“These include ewe longevity and the
ability of a ewe to rear her lambs. Lamb
growth rates remain a critically important
trait to assess within all sheep
enterprises.”
SHEEP RECORDING
Boon went on to point out that the
numbers of sheep being recorded does
matter. The larger the population of
sheep under assessment, the faster rate
of genetic gain that can be achieved.
“Where sheep are concerned, the generational
interval is quite small. Hence
the potential to drive genetic progress
that much faster,” he commented.
In the case of Campbell Tweed’s Ballycoose
flock, 4,000 lambs are recorded
courtesy of the Signet programme on an
annual basis.
Campbell also utilises the recording
facilities available through Sheep Ireland.
PARASITE RESISTANCE
Specifically, where parasite resistance
to wormers within sheep flocks is concerned,
Boon stressed the important
role that genetic evaluations can play
into the future.
But is the challenge one that centres
solely on genetic resistance or should
flock owners be breeding for flock
resilience, where these matters are concerned?
Research has identified genetic differences
between sheep in the strength of
their acquired resistance to internal
worm parasites.
If these differences can be identified
by measurements in sheep, this trait can
be incorporated into genetic evaluations
and improved through selective breeding.
But selection for resistance alone
comes at a cost, which can result in a
reduction in overall performance.
In the opinion of Sam Boon, flock owners
should select for resistance in conjunction
with other performance traits,
such as growth rate, carcase quality and
maternal ability.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
According to the Signet breeding specialist,
ongoing genetic assessment will
also allow farmers to identify sheep
with a low carbon footprint.
July of this year saw the sheep sector
in England awarded £2.9 million by the
Department of Agriculture, Environment
and Rural Affairs (Defra) in order
to specifically identify animals with a
Chatting at the EasyCare open evening (l-r): Richard Gorey and his daughter Amy, from Bennettsbridge in Co. Kilkenny
with Mark Cloney, from Enniscorthy
low carbon footprint.
This work will constitute a three-year
initiative. The project has been titled
‘Breed for CH4nge’.
It will measure methane emissions
from a total of 13,500 sheep in 45 flocks,
collect the necessary data and build and
develop the tools required to genetically
reduce methane emissions and improve
the efficiency of the national flock.
The initiative will eventually demonstrate
the impact of low-carbon sheep on
whole farm carbon footprints.
Signet is one of a number of organisations
delivering scientific expertise to
the project.
“AHDB is delighted to share news of
our involvement in ‘Breed for CH4nge’,
an industry collaboration that will help
to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon
footprint,” Boon continued.
“There are a number of exciting elements
to the project that align closely to
AHDB’s research interests, and the
genetic services delivered by Signet.”
“The project will enhance our knowledge
of genomics, breeding for parasite
resistance and CT scanning, whilst
assessing the benefits of using Portable
Accumulation Chambers to predict
methane emissions in grazing sheep.”
THE BALLYCOOSE FLOCK
Ballycoose farm is home to 3,000 Easy-
A group of EasyCare ewes
Care ewes.
The entire operation is managed by
three full-time staff. This, in itself, is a
very powerful illustration of what
‘EasyCare’ sheep management is all
about.
Campbell took the decision of going
down the self-shedding route after the
wool price crash of 1999.
His initial investment centred on the
acquisition of Wiltshire Horn rams,
which he purchased in Northern Ireland.
Up to that point, the Ballycoose
flock comprised a mix of Newton Stewart
Blackface and Colbred ewes.
Within a relatively short period of
years, he fully committed to the Easy-
Care breed, the first of which he
imported from Iolo Owen in Wales.
The EasyCare is a composite breed of
sheep comprising mostly Welsh Mountain
and Wiltshire Horn bloodlines. It
was developed almost 60 years ago with
breed members specifically selected for
their wool-shedding and polled traits.
10 years prior to his switch to self-shedding
sheep, Campbell had committed to
complete animal recording within the
flock.
“There is no splitting of the flock into
groups. Each lamb is tagged at birth
and, thereafter, electronically recorded
on a regular basis throughout the period
of its stay on the farm,” he explained.
“From a breeding point of view, we
cull on a consistent basis.
“Obviously, we will assist any ewe that
has a problem lambing. However, that
female and her lambs will not be
retained for further breeding purposes.
Nor will we sell these animals on to
other breeders; they are all sent for
slaughter at the appropriate time.
“We take a similar approach, where
lameness is concerned. Obviously, any
animal can succumb to a problem of this
kind. However, if the issue arises again,
after the initial treatment, it will not be
retained for breeding.”
EASYCARE SHEEP
Campbell believes that EasyCare sheep
have a key role to play on sheep farms of
all types.
“They are particularly suited to flock
owners who work from 9:00a.m to
5:00p.m between Monday and Friday. To
a large extent, the sheep can manage
themselves,” Tweed said.
Campbell is currently selling both
breeding EasyCare ewes and lambs to
flock owners throughout Ireland and the
UK.
“We are offering fully recorded stock
that can add significantly to any sheep
enterprise. Demand for EasyCare bloodlines
is on the up and this trend shows
no sign of diminishing,” he said.
He is quick to confirm that the selfshedding
ability of the breed is a big
selling point.
“Back when Blackface sheep were our
main focus, we would have sold up to 7t
of wool on an annual basis,” Campbell
further explained.
“Last year that figure dropped to
around 600kg.”
On the back of the commitment to
comprehensive sheep recording,
demand for Ballycoose bloodlines is
increasing on an international basis.
In 2020 EasyCare rams were selected
by Shrewsbury based Farmgene Ltd.
from the Ballycoose flock.
Progeny from this selection were sold
very successfully in two sales in New
Zealand earlier this year.