8 Feb 2011

UK trial could help NZ livestock breeders

1:38 pm on 8 February 2011

A livestock breeding specialist says a trial in Scotland comparing the performance of progeny from its Primera sheep breeding programme with a variety of UK-bred sheep could provide significant benefits to New Zealand.

Rissington Breedline shipped a dozen Primera rams to the UK last September, as part of a two year project which the supermarket chain Marks and Spencers is funding.

Rissington chief executive Graham Leech says the trial involves 1350 ewes, which have been split into 27 mating groups.

He says the trial is looking at three areas - on-farm efficiency and productivity, processing yield, and quality and taste.

Graham Leech says supermarkets want to be seen to be providing products produced from a sustainable supply chain.