Genetic progress in the lleyn group breeding scheme using a multitrait selection index

Abstract

Group breeding schemes were introduced into Britain in the 1970s as a means of increasing the rate of genetic improvement in sheep and providing a vehicle for breeders to cooperate and pool resources. The Lleyn Group Breeding Scheme was set up in 1978 with the aim of improving several maternal traits in a breed known for its prolificacy. Although the breed originates from North Wales members of the group were drawn from different parts of Britain. Flocks in the scheme were all recorded by MLC and sheep had the possibility of being selected using MLC's selection index, appropriately weighted for the traits of interest to group members.This analysis was designed to investigate the genetic progress made in the scheme between 1979 and 1993. Three traits were analysed; adjusted early lamb weight (LW) (at eight weeks of age), mature weight (MW) (at 18-months) and litter size (LS) in the form Number of lambs born per ewe lambing (NLBEL). These three traits were investigated in ten flocks which participated in the scheme, at varying levels, during the 14-year period 1979-1993. However, only genetic progress in the nucleus flock is reported in this paper.