There has been a substantial rise in the number of farmers signing up to Sheep Ireland’s LambPlus programme.

Sheep Ireland has said having now processed all the 2015 LambPlus sign-up forms submitted to its office. There has been another significant increase in the number of pedigree ram breeders looking to participate in the programme.

It says in 2014 just over 500 breeders joined the programme, this has grown by almost 100 breeders for 2015.

According to Sheep Ireland this continued increase in the number of farmers willing to performance record their flocks is very encouraging.

“We have said many times that the Sheep Technology Adoption Programme (STAP) has helped stimulate this interest, but it is clear from speaking with breeders that demand for €uroStar rated rams has gone far beyond the 4,000 sheep farmers involved in STAP,” it said.

LambPlus is the performance recording service provided by Sheep Ireland to all Pedigree ram breeders in Ireland. It aims to collect as much performance information on pedigree sheep as possible for use in the Sheep Ireland genetic evaluations.

LambPlus breeders have access to a number of useful tools once they become members. These tools include:

An online recording system which allows breeders to maintain and update their flock inventory, mating and lambing records
Recording notebooks to capture all necessary performance data
An ultrasound scanning service which measures eye muscle and fat depth as well as a liveweight, at approximately 140-150 days of age
Genetic evaluations which are updated on a weekly basis from May until October to reflect the most accurate information available to the Sheep Ireland database
Inclusion on an online Ram Search available on www.sheep.ie. This on-line Ram Search will act as a huge marketing tool for LambPlus breeders as demand for performance recorded rams grows. The ram search has had over 38,000 hits in the previous year.
Access to performance recorded ram sales including the annual Sheep Ireland ram sale. In 2014, this sale will take place in Tullamore, Co. Offaly on Saturday the 23rd of August. Exclusive performance recorded sales are being planned by other organisations for 2014