Breed for CH4nge – Breeding for Low Methane Sheep We have been actively involved in research into worm resistance in sheep for over 7 years. For the last 3 years we have participated in research that has honed down to using Serum IgA. By quantifying IGA concentrations, farmers can identify sheep with high IGA levels,
We had a little rain last night but this June is looking like a relay of last year. We still have good grass and the lambs are growing well. We will shortly be taking 8 week weights, so will see how the dry weather is impacting milk. We start shearing this week, initially the hogs
May 2023 With lambing over, the last few weeks have been catching up with a backlog of fencing etc. After a slow start to spring, we now have good grass growth. It certainly looks like the cutting fields are going to provide a heavy first cut. Lambing started a bit later this year
I strongly believe that using genetics provides key management tools for much of the livestock sector. From the increasingly important environment perspective where work out of New Zealand for instance has indicated perhaps not surprisingly that sheep with significant worm burdens omit 30% more methane than otherwise. Methane output is high up governments’ climate
So lots of grass everywhere, and prices for both lamb, culls and stores remain high. Some additional macro thoughts as to what is driving this, as it will clearly have implications as to the prices of top quality breeding stock, and as to whether these pricing pressures are short term? We have all noted that