Sheep Genetic Technical Speciaist Services

Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is required to deliver the Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme (WSGP) on behalf of Welsh Government. Welsh Government’s ambition and challenge is to continue to reduce greenhouse gases by improving efficiencies on farm to achieve a cumulative effect whilst maintaining the production of high quality and sustainable food. Seen as part of both short term and long-term response to the sectors role in climate change mitigation, support for genetic improvement of the Welsh sheep industry is crucial.This project seeks to build on the previous work funded by Welsh Government to support the uptake of genetic improvement within the Welsh sheep flock. The activity will look to further develop activity that has been delivered through the Hill Ram Scheme (HRS) and the first phase of WSGP, which was undertaken as part of Farming Connect. The proposed programme will be designed to meet the specific needs of the Welsh sheep sector in advancing genetic improvement. It will support participating businesses by assessing their current baseline performance, identifying key performance indicators relevant to their farming system and develop tailored action plans. Each plan will include clear, evidence-based recommendations to enhance genetic progress at the individual farm level, whilst collecting valuable information that could highlight the wider-sectoral benefits of the activity. Phase 2 of the WSGP will deliver the following objectives: • Improve economic and environmental performance of Welsh sheep farms (including methods to address decarbonisation of the red meat sector) • Increase uptake and confidence in EBVs and genomic EBVs • Grow a critical mass of performance-recorded and genotyped flocks in Wales • Enable and encourage sheep farmers to make evidence-based breeding and purchasing decisions • Support a long-term transition to farmer-led genetic improvement within the national flock in Wales • Exploring genetic improvement as a natural an