Farmers in hill sheep breeding groups and interested in producing genotyped rams under the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) can now get their stock rams genotyped for free.

A key new action included in the SIS requires farmers to purchase a genotyped ram at least once in the first three years of the scheme for flocks with less than 150 ewes.

Those with more than 150 ewes must possess a second genotyped ram in years four or five.

Hill sheep farmers have two options - they can purchase a DNA sire-verified hill ram, which is classified as type 1, 2 or 3 for scrapie, or they can purchase a genotyped lowland ram that is rated as four or five stars as per Sheep Ireland genetic evaluations and also categorised as type 1, 2 or 3 for scrapie.

Starting point

While there is likely to be good availability of lowland rams, there are question marks surrounding the availability of DNA sire-verified hill rams.

This is due to the fact that performance recording and genotyping is rarely carried out in hill breeding systems, with just two groups adopting such technology.

There is therefore a significant hill to climb to get more hill breeding groups and their members to adopt this technology.

If, for example, a stock ram dies without genotyping, there is no possibility of selling his progeny under the scheme

Sheep Ireland has been holding regional meetings with breeders and is keen to drive progress in this area.

One of the most urgent tasks to complete is to ensure that breeders genotype the rams of progeny they intend to offer for sale in the coming seasons.

The cause for urgency is straightforward - if, for example, a stock ram dies without genotyping, there is no possibility of selling his progeny under the scheme, as the sire cannot be DNA verified.

Breeder encouragement

To encourage breeders to participate, Sheep Ireland is now offering free stock ram genotyping to all group members across the 17 hill breeding groups it is currently in dialogue with.

Sheep Ireland outlines that a major advantage includes that “breeding groups will develop a bank of stock ram DNA that will act as a base for breed authentication, breed improvement and lead to a much-needed flock book development within these groups”.

For rams to be deemed eligible for the free genotyping, they must satisfy three key criteria.

1. Breeders must be the current owner of the ram and must be a member of one of the Hill Ram Breeding groups listed below:

  • Brockagh Perth Blackfaced Sheep Breeders Association.
  • Brockagh Swaledale Mayo Blackface Sheep Breeders Association.
  • Connemara-Mayo Blackface Sheep Breeders Association.
  • Cooley Sheep Breeders Association.
  • Donegal Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association.
  • Donegal Cheviot Sheep Society.
  • Kerry Blackface Breeders Association (Dingle).
  • Kerry Blackface sheep Breeders Association.
  • Mayo-Connemara Blackface Sheep Breeders Association.
  • Munster Blackface (Ram Lamb) Association.
  • Sliabh Liag Long wool Perth Association (Donegal).
  • Sub-A district South of Ireland Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association.
  • Tir Chonaill Blackface Group.
  • Waterford Blackface Sheep Breeders Association.
  • West of Ireland Lanark Sheep Breeders.
  • Wicklow Cheviot Mountain Sheep Breeders Society.

    • 2. The ram in question has got to be 100% of a hill breed.

    3. The ram has to be born in 2021 or any year previous.


    Those wishing to get their stock rams genotyped can complete and submit an application form which can be found here.