Commercial measures of eating quality on Sheep Genetics animals

Sheep Genetics is working with breeders who are consigning SG animals to abattoirs, collecting commercial measures of eating quality. This applies to those who are processing animals that are in an SG evaluation and getting individual animal feedback for intra-muscular fat (from a probe or other device) and yield data (via DEXA). The intention is to investigate the relationship between these commercial measurements and the research measurements routinely taken in the MLA Resource Flock, to determine if commercial measures can be included in the genetic evaluation. If you have a consignment of animals that meets these requirements and are interested in being involved, please contact SG before the animals are consigned to ensure that all the necessary information is collected.

Please see the below requirements for breeders who are wanting to collect commercial carcase measurements

Animals must have a Sheep Genetics ID and are in the Sheep Genetics evaluation (either excess animals from the stud or have pedigree information)
A pre-slaughter weight (4 hours fasted) on-farm prior to slaughter
- Ideally pre-slaughter weight is to be recorded as soon as possible to the animals going onto the truck to slaughter, however, pre-slaughter measurements can be taken up to 7 days prior to slaughter
Date of pre-slaughter measurements
Management group of animals
Kill date and consignment number
Where possible, we recommend taking the following on farm pre-slaughter measurements also
- Condition score
- Fat and Muscle scan data