Signet Sheep Genotyping Project in Northern Ireland

Background

Sheep farmers can now move from genetic predictions that are based solely on pedigree and performance data to those that include genomic data, with all the advantages this brings.

How does genomic information support sheep breeding programmes?

Genomic information has a variety of potential uses and breeders genotype their sheep for many different reasons.

• Sire / dam verification – important for forward thinking Breed Societies

• Reporting major genes, such as Scrapie, Myostatin and major fertility genes

• Increasing the accuracy of breeding values.

  • Genomic data adds massively to our knowledge of traits that are only expressed in one sex (like milk), expressed later in life (like longevity) and hard/expensive to measure (like methane or meat-eating quality)

• Increasing the robustness of genetic comparisons between flocks.

Genomics augments the accuracy of the breeding values that Signet produce for well recorded sires, while introducing new information for previously unrecorded sheep that provides them with a fairer and more robust starting point when entering a genetic evaluation.

Ultimately those breeds that have genomic breeding values will get more accurate and more reliable breeding values, helping breeders to decide which animals to retain, measure or sell for pedigree breeding.

 

Which breeds currently get genomic breeding values?

Signet Breeding Services deliver three, mixed breed genetic evaluations

• Hill Sheep Evaluation – Six hill breeds currently get genomic breeding values (Brecknock Hill Cheviot, Hardy Speckle, Eppynt Speckle, North Country Cheviot (Hill type), Scottish Blackface and Welsh Mountain)

• Maternal Evaluation – Not currently getting a genomic evaluation, but watch this space.

• Terminal Sire Evaluation  – Genomic evaluation launched in February 2025. The Suffolk, Hampshire Down and Charollais breeds will became the first terminal sire breeds to get genomic breeding values with Signet and the first in the UK to get them for abattoir traits.

How is AgriSearch supporting this work?

To develop informative genomic breeding programmes it is vital that we genotype animals of known genetic merit; those animals with high accuracy values in performance recorded flocks, and that we obtain these genotypes from a wide variety of sources.

As we start this genomic journey, it is really important that there is industry collaboration to generate a critical mass of informative genotypes, with active engagement and support from levy bodies, researchers, breeders and breed societies.  

To support this exciting area of research and service development AgriSearch are funding:

• Genotyping high accuracy sires and breeding ewes in Signet recorded hill and maternal flocks

• Genotyping high accuracy breeding ewes in Signet recorded terminal sire flocks, where sires are already being genotyped by Breed Societies

The simple aim of this work will enable us to

• Learn about the genetic makeup of the Northern Irish flock at a genomic level and how breeding values could be strengthened from genomic data gathered in England, Scotland and Wales.

• Build a genomic dataset to underpin genomic breeding values in Northern Ireland and enhance the accuracy of predictions.

• Get breeders engaged in taking genomic samples from their breeding stock and seeing for themselves the value that can be derived from genomic data as we begin the routine adoption of this new technology in our sheep breeding programmes.