Warwickshire sheep flock wins top award

David Eglin, who farms near Bulkington, Warwickshire, has won the EBLEX Most Progressive Flock Award for the Dorset breed, based on Signet records for the Bramain Flock.

Organised through the Sheep Better Returns Programme, this award is presented to the performance recorded flock that has shown the most impressive improvement in genetic merit over a 12-month period, within the breed.

David Eglin and his wife Sue farm over 100ha with a mix of owned and rented land. They have breeding flocks of 193 Polled Dorsets, and 130 Chamoise ewes. They also run 400 commercial ewes; largely Dorset x Chamoise.

Mr Eglin has farmed Bramcote Mains since leaving college in 1963. Previously an old aerodrome, the site is very exposed and the ground poor and open. However, the autumn lambing Dorset ewes do well there and Mr Eglin has improved the swards, incorporating white clover and high sugar varieties in the re-seeds.

The flock was established initially in 1996 from eight ewes bought from David Matthews and a ram from Richard Hole. Mr Eglin now runs a closed flock only buying in new rams from the Centurion Group. He looks for sires that have higher Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) than the current flock and always negative for fat depth.

A recent purchase “Blackhill Jet” has made a marked impression on the flock. He was top of his group on index and most of his EBVs are within the top 10% of the breed.

The ewes start lambing at the end of September and are housed over winter. Lambs are weaned at 14 weeks and fed haylage and creep until turnout. Slaughter lambs are targeted at the Easter market.

The Eglin’s run a box lamb scheme offering year-round supply from unwanted male lambs coming from the pedigree flock, and out of the commercial flocks. The Chamoise is not as prolific as the Dorset but has very good conformation.

Committed to recording

Mr Eglin has always recorded performance in some way – as far back as 1963 he kept track of tag numbers and recorded details on individuals. In 1998 he formalised this by joining the Signet scheme, and has carried out full electronic identification since 2004.

The top 25% of ewe lambs are retained as replacements, providing they are true to type and have good teeth and feet. All other progeny is offered for sale.

“Females are sold as shearlings to pedigree breeders and I have recently sold a small number of ewes to four different people as starter flocks,” says Mr Eglin. “Rams are sold as ram lambs through pedigree sales including the May Fair and Dorset sales in Wales, Carlisle and Worcester. A few are sold off the farm.”

Mr Eglin provides a full set of figures and health records with every ram or group of ewes sold.

“Ten years ago people were sceptical about figures,” says Mr Eglin. “But times are changing and I believe people are increasingly interested.

“I am keen to encourage this awareness. I use the ‘star system’ when selling through sales, whether it is being implemented through the sale or not. The more visual attention you can draw to good indexes, the better.”

Mr Eglin regularly shows his sheep and last year won reserve champion at Stafford Show. Carol Grain has been preparing Mr. Eglin’s sheep for shows for six years. “The quality of David’s youngstock is improving year-on-year. It is evident in their gigots, loins and tight skins”.

“The influence of ‘Blackhill Jet’ has had a lot to do with our winning the EBLEX award this year,” says Mr. Eglin. “It is great to have the recognition; I’d like to try to win the award every year so we know we are continuing in the right direction!”

Recording is key to progress

“Buying rams with known, superior EBVs, allows pedigree producers to correct any weak areas and produce an end-product that customers are looking for, and willing to pay more for, over a relatively short period of time,” says EBLEX sheep breeding specialist Samuel Boon.

“I congratulate David for the valuable work he is doing with this breed in terms of recording and identification. By focusing on, and recording production traits that really matter, he is not only improving his own flock, but also making it easier for other pedigree Dorset breeders to find rams they know will have a positive impact on their breeding enterprise.”