Quality lamb production
FINAL REPORT OF TECHNOLOGY PROJECT
Dr Steven Johnston & John McIlmoyle, Greenmount College, February 2002
Introduction
Experience from Enniskillen College farm and a number of commercial farms, supported by DARD's advisory and technology staff, highlighted the ability of the Dutch Texel breed to improve carcase quality of lambs from a range of ewe types.
As a follow-on from this work, a series of discussions between the directors of Dungannon Meats, their lamb partnership producers (including the Mid-Ulster Lamb Group) and DARD staff led to a pilot lamb marketing initiative. The sponsorship of high quality rams by Dungannon Meats for their ‘Partnership Producers’ highlights their support and commitment to the production of quality lamb cuts for the customers of J Sainsbury.
Under this initiative, Dutch Texel shearling rams, produced from the 60 strong flock at Enniskillen College were placed on "partnership producers" farms annually from 1998 to 2001. In total 45 rams were placed on partnership producers farms. The rams were selected on the basis of their Scan weight, Muscle depth and Fat depth, which are Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and their overall Lean Index. The aim of the Lean Index is to increase carcase lean weight whilst minimising any associated rise in fat. The rams were placed on farms, which ranged from lowland to hill. Evaluation of the lambs produced in 1999 and 2000 was carried out at both farm and factory to identify if there was any appreciable benefit from using the Dutch Texel breed.
The financial performance of the flocks was monitored in 1999 to 2000 and 2000 to 2001 through the flock manager service offered by CBS. The carcase details of the progeny from the Dutch Texel sired lambs were assessed and compared with the progeny from the other rams on the producer farms in 1999 and 2000.
Conclusions
In total, the slaughter details of 1518 lambs were recorded (802 lambs from Dutch Texel sires and 716 lambs from other ram breeds on the farms).
- On average, the Dutch Texel sired lambs produced carcases that were 0.4 KG heavier, graded 0.4 of a conformation grade higher and 0.2 of a Fat Class higher than the lambs produced by rams of other breeds on producer farms.
- In 2000, 92 percent of the Dutch Texel sired male lambs graded in the premium grades*. This highlights the breed’s ability to consistently stamp good carcase quality in lambs from a range of ewe types.
- Slaughter information indicates that it was important to handle the ewe lambs to assess fat cover. This appears necessary due to the higher killing out percentage associated with the Dutch Texel, which results in small blocky ewe lambs producing heavier, but fatter than expected carcases.
- On close examination of the carcase grades it was observed that 52 percent of the lambs sired by the Dutch Texel graded in the premium grades U3 and U4L whilst only 30 percent of the lambs produced by the other rams were assessed in these grades.
- In 1999 producer payments were based on a standard industry grid. This resulted in the better conformed though slightly fatter lambs sired by the Dutch Texel rams realising 39p/head less than the poorer conformed lambs from other sires. In 2000 this was addressed and Dungannon Meats changed its lamb payment grid by providing a 10p differential between R and U grades. This resulted in the carcase of a Dutch Texel sired lamb being worth £1.52 more than the carcase from a lamb sired by another ram on the producer farms. Dungannon Meats are now offering a 13p differential between R and U grades in the 17 to 19 kg weight range.
- Accounts maintained through Flock manager, indicate that gross margins ranged from £57 to £17 over two years. Gross margin less subsidies ranged from £38 to £0 highlighting the importance of subsidy payments on many sheep farms.
- Improving quality has little impact on enterprise profitability, especially when compared to the impact of subsidies. Increasing returns by improving quality is worth less than 10 percent of subsidy income.
* E2, E3, E4L, U3, U4L, R3
