Culland Hall Farm comprised of improved permanent pasture has embraced the principle of regenerative farming for many years. More recently we have started to trail herbal leys. The Lleyn seem to complement this system well.
We have been running a performance-recorded closed grass-fed Lleyn MV accredited flock since 2003. Since the beginning, we have used a disciplined performance recording process to identify and utilise hereditary characteristics to guide our breeding programme. To this end, in 2014 we became a founding member of the Performance Recorded Lleyn Group. (PRLG see below).
We utilise a rigorous performance recording regime, focusing on various factors that include Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), Average Daily Growth Rates (ADGR) and health traits which now importantly include worm resistance EBVs. Recent global research has shown a high degree of negative correlation between worm resistance and methane output. On the back of 6 years of research in which we have participated since inception, in conjunction with a subgroup of the PRLG, we have been focusing on the heritability of worm resistance in Lleyn sheep. This research being carried out in conjunction with Glasgow University, Harper Adams and Signet is an ongoing research project. Over the last 3 years, this research morphed further to focus on the analysis of Serum IgA, a significantly more robust metric. Although expensive, it is indicating that worm resistance has a remarkably high heritability of c.35%+. Signet now has sufficient data to create a specific Serum IgA EBV to guide breeders in their selection process. We are now also able to specifically breed for low-methane sheep. This clearly has obvious significant implications for flock management. Meteorological research shows that over the last 10-15 years, methane is now having the greatest impact on global warming and is thought to be 80 x that of Co2! New Zealand already has plans to tax herbivores for methane. It is very difficult not to see other government bodies following in due course.
From the more traditional farming aspect, our aim is to produce an increasingly profitable sheep through improved animal and grass genetics, whether as a pure bred Lleyn or as a top-quality crossing animal. Our performance recording policy not only enables us to target selected replacements but also to carry out an objective ewe culling regime. Utilising top-quality ram genetics is clearly essential, but we also recognize that this must be done in conjunction with an equally focused approach to female genetics. We believe that this policy is enabling us to significantly improve ewe efficiency and hence profitability per unit of output.
Each year we sell primarily off the farm, performance recorded grass-fed Lleyn shearlings ewes and tups. We look forward to meeting with you and offering sheep that meet your requirements.
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