With tup sale season nearly underway, Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) guide explaining the use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) in conjunction with good stockmanship in selecting the right tup, is a must read.
“Using EBVs as a Tool to Breed Better Sheep” is an easy-to-read publication which offers producers practical information on tup selection. The booklet provides a step-by-step guide for those interested in learning more about how EBVs can help them improve the performance of their flocks.
It includes content on selecting fit-for-purpose tups and the main EBV traits that are important to different types of sheep production. The publication also contains advice on how to interpret the EBV data presented at sales.
Pedigree tup breeders Gregor and Bruce Ingram from Logie Durno Farm in Aberdeenshire are confident that using EBVs and performance-recorded tups helps improve flock performance and profitability.
“There is no question in my mind that EBVs are the future for Scottish sheep farmers,” said Gregor. “Commercial farmers who use terminal EBV recorded tups have lambs that grow faster and make more profit per acre, which will increase efficiency over the entire enterprise.”
Commercial sheep farmers Robbie and Barbara Milne from North Bethelnie Farm near Old Meldrum started buying terminal EBV recorded tups around 10 years ago. They have seen a vast improvement in the quality of the lambs they produce and have been able to get them to prime weight quicker, saving on both grass and money.
“We generally lamb in April and manage to get the majority of our lambs away in July and August,” said Barbara. “Since we started using EBVs and recorded tups, our grading sheets have never been so good.”
Incheoch Farm
Neil and Debbie McGowan from Incheoch Farm near Blairgowrie have been breeding performance recorded tups for over 20 years and are sure that investing in a recorded tup pays dividends.
“If you want to get the best out of your flock you need to have the genetics balanced to the system you have in place and EBVs are a way of doing that,” said Neil.
“By using tups selected for strong maternal traits you are investing in your future. Your flock is going to be with you for a long time and by improving your ewe, you are improving your overall flock.”
Along with the booklet, QMS has a series of short videos giving an insight into how sheep farmers around the country are using EBVs to improve their flocks and business performance.
All the farmers share the view that good stockmanship skills and the ability to assess tups by eye and by careful physical inspection are also vitally important. Check out the QMS Facebook page to view the videos.
If you would like to obtain a free copy of the guide “Using EBVs as a Tool to Breed Better Sheep” contact QMS on 0131 510 7920. It is also available to download from the QMS website www.qmscotland.co.uk
UK government Minister Lord Ian Duncan on a visit to Hunters of Kinross butchers, Kinross, Perth & Kinross. Lord Duncan is with Ian and Pamela Hunter, Lisa MacInnes from Save A Life For Scotland; Luke Graham MP and Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers; and the staff at Hunters of Kinross with the defibrillator outside Hunters of Kinross shop.
Lord Duncan lends support to butchers' ‘Save a Life’ initiative
UK government Minister Lord Duncan joined the team of staff in a Kinross butchers shop recently to congratulate them on leading the way on a national initiative to raise money for community defibrillators.
The idea behind the “Butchers at the Heart of the Community” initiative, supported by Scottish Craft Butchers, the Scotch Butchers Club and Save a Life Scotland, was started by butcher Pamela Hunter who runs Hunters of Kinross with her husband Iain.
Luke Graham, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, joined Lord Duncan to hear about the aim of the initiative to help and encourage people living in communities throughout Scotland to be ready and confident in delivering cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.
In December 2016, a regular and popular customer of Hunters picked up his order and headed off to celebrate the new year. He never returned to the shop after suffering a cardiac arrest and it was his wife who told the team at Hunters the awful news.
Since then, Pamela has worked tirelessly in her community, running raffles and special events to raise funds to buy a 24-hour public-accessible defibrillator, which is now located outside their shop.
Following the success of the fund-raising project by Hunters of Kinross, the initiative is now being rolled out across Scotland. The Scottish Craft Butchers and the Scotch Butchers Club, run by QMS, who collectively have a network of over 400 butcher members, have partnered with Save a Life Scotland to encourage members to take part and help save lives in their local community.
Butchers across Scotland are now being encouraged to pledge “I’m In” and display collection tins in their shop to raise money for a local defibrillator to support the Butchers at the Heart of the Community campaign. Over 30 Scottish butchers have so far signed up to the campaign. Save a Life for Scotland partners are available to support locally with CPR and defibrillation training.
Training
The project is not only about providing a defibrillator to communities, but training for both staff and customers on how to use them and deliver CPR. Butchers interested in getting involved should contact Save a Life Scotland by emailing hello@savealife.scot. Collection tins are being supplied by Scottish Craft Butchers and the Scotch Butchers Club.
After losing a good friend and customer, Pamela Hunter of Hunters of Kinross Butchers felt that as a small business they needed to do something for their community.
“We are delighted with the response from butchers around the country to the initiative and to have the support of Lord Duncan and Luke Graham is fantastic.
“Cardiac arrest in Scotland is much more common than we first thought. There is an average of 70 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each week and on average only four people survive. We wanted to help do something about this,” she said.
Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers said: “This project is all about enabling butchers to save the lives of people in their community. Raising money to provide defibrillators and training staff on how to do CPR,” he said.
“We are not all experts in knowing what to do in cases of emergency. We need to dispel the fear caused by lack of knowledge.
“There is no need be a paramedic, we just need to know what to do and address lack of confidence. Butchers care about their customers and this is just another example of how much they matter to them,” he added.
Lisa MacInnes, director of the Save a Life Scotland campaign said: “Someone who is having a cardiac arrest needs immediate help, you cannot make the situation worse for them and so saving lives from cardiac arrest really does begin in the community.
“Our partners are proud to support the Scottish Craft Butchers network and their great campaign. Butchers are trusted, respected and are leading the way, helping Scottish communities become CPR ready.”
With tup sale season nearly underway, Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) guide explaining the use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) in conjunction with good stockmanship in selecting the right tup, is a must read.
“Using EBVs as a Tool to Breed Better Sheep” is an easy-to-read publication which offers producers practical information on tup selection. The booklet provides a step-by-step guide for those interested in learning more about how EBVs can help them improve the performance of their flocks.
It includes content on selecting fit-for-purpose tups and the main EBV traits that are important to different types of sheep production. The publication also contains advice on how to interpret the EBV data presented at sales.
Pedigree tup breeders Gregor and Bruce Ingram from Logie Durno Farm in Aberdeenshire are confident that using EBVs and performance-recorded tups helps improve flock performance and profitability.
“There is no question in my mind that EBVs are the future for Scottish sheep farmers,” said Gregor. “Commercial farmers who use terminal EBV recorded tups have lambs that grow faster and make more profit per acre, which will increase efficiency over the entire enterprise.”
Commercial sheep farmers Robbie and Barbara Milne from North Bethelnie Farm near Old Meldrum started buying terminal EBV recorded tups around 10 years ago. They have seen a vast improvement in the quality of the lambs they produce and have been able to get them to prime weight quicker, saving on both grass and money.
“We generally lamb in April and manage to get the majority of our lambs away in July and August,” said Barbara. “Since we started using EBVs and recorded tups, our grading sheets have never been so good.”
Incheoch Farm
Neil and Debbie McGowan from Incheoch Farm near Blairgowrie have been breeding performance recorded tups for over 20 years and are sure that investing in a recorded tup pays dividends.
“If you want to get the best out of your flock you need to have the genetics balanced to the system you have in place and EBVs are a way of doing that,” said Neil.
“By using tups selected for strong maternal traits you are investing in your future. Your flock is going to be with you for a long time and by improving your ewe, you are improving your overall flock.”
Along with the booklet, QMS has a series of short videos giving an insight into how sheep farmers around the country are using EBVs to improve their flocks and business performance.
All the farmers share the view that good stockmanship skills and the ability to assess tups by eye and by careful physical inspection are also vitally important. Check out the QMS Facebook page to view the videos.
If you would like to obtain a free copy of the guide “Using EBVs as a Tool to Breed Better Sheep” contact QMS on 0131 510 7920. It is also available to download from the QMS website www.qmscotland.co.uk
UK government Minister Lord Ian Duncan on a visit to Hunters of Kinross butchers, Kinross, Perth & Kinross. Lord Duncan is with Ian and Pamela Hunter, Lisa MacInnes from Save A Life For Scotland; Luke Graham MP and Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers; and the staff at Hunters of Kinross with the defibrillator outside Hunters of Kinross shop.
Lord Duncan lends support to butchers' ‘Save a Life’ initiative
UK government Minister Lord Duncan joined the team of staff in a Kinross butchers shop recently to congratulate them on leading the way on a national initiative to raise money for community defibrillators.
The idea behind the “Butchers at the Heart of the Community” initiative, supported by Scottish Craft Butchers, the Scotch Butchers Club and Save a Life Scotland, was started by butcher Pamela Hunter who runs Hunters of Kinross with her husband Iain.
Luke Graham, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, joined Lord Duncan to hear about the aim of the initiative to help and encourage people living in communities throughout Scotland to be ready and confident in delivering cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.
In December 2016, a regular and popular customer of Hunters picked up his order and headed off to celebrate the new year. He never returned to the shop after suffering a cardiac arrest and it was his wife who told the team at Hunters the awful news.
Since then, Pamela has worked tirelessly in her community, running raffles and special events to raise funds to buy a 24-hour public-accessible defibrillator, which is now located outside their shop.
Following the success of the fund-raising project by Hunters of Kinross, the initiative is now being rolled out across Scotland. The Scottish Craft Butchers and the Scotch Butchers Club, run by QMS, who collectively have a network of over 400 butcher members, have partnered with Save a Life Scotland to encourage members to take part and help save lives in their local community.
Butchers across Scotland are now being encouraged to pledge “I’m In” and display collection tins in their shop to raise money for a local defibrillator to support the Butchers at the Heart of the Community campaign. Over 30 Scottish butchers have so far signed up to the campaign. Save a Life for Scotland partners are available to support locally with CPR and defibrillation training.
Training
The project is not only about providing a defibrillator to communities, but training for both staff and customers on how to use them and deliver CPR. Butchers interested in getting involved should contact Save a Life Scotland by emailing hello@savealife.scot. Collection tins are being supplied by Scottish Craft Butchers and the Scotch Butchers Club.
After losing a good friend and customer, Pamela Hunter of Hunters of Kinross Butchers felt that as a small business they needed to do something for their community.
“We are delighted with the response from butchers around the country to the initiative and to have the support of Lord Duncan and Luke Graham is fantastic.
“Cardiac arrest in Scotland is much more common than we first thought. There is an average of 70 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each week and on average only four people survive. We wanted to help do something about this,” she said.
Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers said: “This project is all about enabling butchers to save the lives of people in their community. Raising money to provide defibrillators and training staff on how to do CPR,” he said.
“We are not all experts in knowing what to do in cases of emergency. We need to dispel the fear caused by lack of knowledge.
“There is no need be a paramedic, we just need to know what to do and address lack of confidence. Butchers care about their customers and this is just another example of how much they matter to them,” he added.
Lisa MacInnes, director of the Save a Life Scotland campaign said: “Someone who is having a cardiac arrest needs immediate help, you cannot make the situation worse for them and so saving lives from cardiac arrest really does begin in the community.
“Our partners are proud to support the Scottish Craft Butchers network and their great campaign. Butchers are trusted, respected and are leading the way, helping Scottish communities become CPR ready.”
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