Ensuring a genotyped ram has been purchased for your flock is an important aspect of participating in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS).
All applicants will be required to carry out the genotyped ram action within the first three years of SIS participation.
The scheme is currently in it’s second year, but farmers may have chosen to already purchase a genotyped ram.
Applicants will indicate the year in which they will carry out the genotyped ram action when completing their online scheme application form.
Teagasc has advised farmers to check if 2024 is a year you need to purchase a qualifying ram under the SIS.
Selecting a ram
For lowland flocks, the ram must be four or five-star on the replacement or terminal Index and have a genomic evaluation with Sheep Ireland at the time of purchase, and be a type one, two or three for scrapie. No type 4 or 5 scrapie genotyped rams will qualify.
For hill flocks, if the ram is a hill flock breed, the ram only needs to be DNA Sire verified by Sheep Ireland and be a type one, two or three for scrapie at the time of purchase.
Applicants with 150 breeding ewes or less will only have to complete this action once in the first three years of the scheme.
Where an applicant is determined at the time of application to have a reference number of greater than 150 breeding ewes, then they will be required to carry out the action twice over the lifetime of the scheme, once within the first three years of the scheme participation and once in any subsequent year in which they wish to carry out the action for the second time.
Applicants may be required to submit evidence that they have successfully completed the genotyped task.
E.g., a copy of the catalogue from the sale or a copy of the animals details from the www.ramsearch.ie, and a copy of the dispatch docket that shows the purchase of the animal.
In the year, or years, chosen by the applicant to carry out the genotyped ram action, this action will replace the standard category B action chosen by the applicant at the time of application.
They will revert to the standard action B in the following year following completion of the genotyped ram action.
Where an applicant fails to complete the genotyped ram action in the year selected:
- Applicants will not receive payment for the genotyped ram action for the year in question and will receive a 50% penalty on their action A payment;
- The genotyped ram action will roll over into the following year, replacing the standard action B which would have been due for completion in that year. Applicants will only be required to do one action A and one action B in any scheme year;
- Where the applicant fails to do the genotyped ram action in the following year, the
applicant will receive no payment for either action A or action B for that year and an
administrative penalty of 20% based on the overall amount which would have been
payable in the scheme year will be imposed.
The applicant will also be deemed ineligible to participate in subsequent scheme years and will be withdrawn from the scheme.
Where an applicant has a reference number of 150 eligible breeding ewes or greater and is obliged to carry out the genotyped ram action twice over the lifetime of the scheme, the above arrangements will apply for both years.
New entrant applicants to the scheme in year 4 and year 5 will not be required to select the genotyped ram action in either year 4 or year 5 but will be free to choose any action B, including the genotyped ram action, from the menu of available actions.
Ensure that the ram is SIS eligible on the day of purchase using the Sheep Ireland ram search facility or the sale catalogue.