THE MYOSTATIN GENE - EXPLAINED

The myostatin gene in the EasyCare Breed

The myostatin gene in sheep denotes an increase in lean meat percentage and a reduction in fat content.

First discovered by scientists in Australia, the gene is most prevalent in the Texel breed, but luckily the EasyCare breed to some extent, also carries it.

When individual animals are tested for the gene, the results from the laboratory will signify a negative, a single copy myostatin denoted by a T+ or a Twin copy denoted as a T+T+, which is usually described as being a MYOMAX GOLD which is trademarked by Innovis and must not be used on adverts or in the market. It is a double myostatin gene carrier.

Breeders who need to improve their carcass grades in pure bred EasyCares, will find that by using a ram with a single copy myostatin, 50% of the progeny wil produce some 5% extra lean meat.

Those however, who use a ram with a twin myostatin copy will expect two advantages within their flock.

Firstly, all progeny will possess an extra 10% lean meat and 7% less fat content which means of course that lambs can be taken to extra weights before being penalised for being over fat.

The second advantage to using a double myostatin ram is that all of his progeny will carry at least one copy of the gene. This is of course a simple but effective way of introducing the myostatin gene to all replacement stock.

By persisting with a double copy ram, all the flock will carry the gene within four or five years.

It is worth emphasising that there are no disadvantages to introducing the myostatin gene. Any fear of lambing difficulties can be ignored, this is one element which we must retain at all costs and the presence of the gene has no effect on lambing ease.

One thing that is worth pointing out is that there is no connection between a myostatin carrier and growth rate and therefore it is a wise move to test only lambs which you feel are above average weights at testing time. Also only test rams without horns and who are fully fleece shedding, have sound legs, good jaw and teeth and good feet.

It goes without saying that it is absolutely vital that there is no cross contamination of blood samples as that will render the whole test a waste of time. Gloves must be used, new ones with each animal. You can also take nose swab samples to get the necessary fluid to test for the gene. You must get plenty of 'snot' on the swab.

It is worth repeating that there are no negative effects to the gene and that you can proceed with confidence of a positive outcome for carcass improvement. The percentage of O grades will decrease significantly and R3Ls with some U's will dominate the grading sheets.

If you are considering testing for myostatin it is good practice to also include request for a scrapie test as well.

All test results must be shown to the purchaser prior to sale and must go with the animal when sold.

By Huw Thomas [edited and updated by Louise Hobson]

UPDATE ON THE SOCIETY AGM AND OPEN DAYS

We are arranging an Open Day and AGM on Saturday 26th September 2020 at two farms near Welshpool. All interested members and shepherds are most welcome but must provide names and address on arrival and bring face coverings.

Further details to follow

You can email me at info@easycaresheep.com if you need to ask any questions regarding this or any other Society matter

We are rearranging Orkney for 2021 - dates and times to be discussed and agreed

THE SOCIETY BREEDING SALES 2020

I have rung around the auction marts and the consensus is the sales will go ahead as normal in 2020

It may be that there are a few constraints in place but the marts do want to ensure both buyer and seller can be present in as safe an environment as possible. The marts may have to alter the arrangement of the selling rings to allow for social distancing and masks may have to be worn but please be assured everything possible is being done to ensure we can continue with our sales.

If you have sheep to sell you will be contacted by the auction mart to enter your lots in due course. Prospective buyers may need to register with the markets as well.

The Society looks forward to entries of high quality stock this autumn as we have lots of people wanting to increase their flocks or start from scratch. Dismal wool prices and problems getting shearers has only further highlighted the problems of wool to both the shepherd and the sheep.

I and my co-ordinator colleagues look forward to seeing you at the sales:

Exeter Friday 11^th September

Skipton Saturday 12^th September

Gaerwen Monday 14^th September

Worcester Saturday 19^th September

Carlisle Friday 2^nd October

WOOL PRICE AT AN ALL TIME LOW - EMBRACE THE EASYCARE BREED

Another good reason to own EasyCare sheep.

From an article in The Courier by Gemma Mackenzie May 9 2020, 7.26am

Wool prices will be severely impacted by the Covid-19 crisis for the next 12-18 months, warns British Wool.

The wool marketing body, which is owned by approximately 40,000 sheep farmers across the UK, says the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on global demand.

The organisation’s chief executive, Joe Farren, said British Wool experienced reduced demand for wool from the Chinese market in January. Thereafter, the global market for wool from cross-bred sheep slowed significantly in February, and it has been shut since March.

Mr Farren said the period between February and May was usually the busiest selling period of the year, and as a result of market closures the body has around an extra 7 million kg of unsold wool from 2019, on top of 3m kg of wool normally handled at this time of year.

He said: “The severe, hopefully short- term, drop in demand for wool products coupled with the huge global overhang in cross-bred wool stocks from the 2019 season is likely to severely impact prices for the next 12-18 months.

“It will also make our longer term objective of repositioning British Wool as a premium product more challenging.

“However, finding new demand for our wool in China at attractive prices will be a key driver of the early stages of recovery in British Wool prices.

“We must be more determined than ever in this objective.”

He said British Wool’s depots and collections sites were ready to start receiving wool, and protocols are in place to ensure the safety of producers and British Wool staff.

The National Sheep Association welcomed confirmation that depots and collection sites were open for business.

The association’s chief executive, Phil Stocker, said: “With so much uncertainty generally, we welcome that we are in a situation where shearing gangs can operate and wool can be moved.

“However, the news of the carryover of 10m kg, nearly a third of British Wool’s annual clip, is less welcome, although the UK is not alone in this.

“Fortunately, most British sheep farmers are used to wool covering shearing and handling costs and often not a lot more, with few farmers relying on wool values for a living.”

EasyCare store lambs top £100

Monday 17th February 2020
Gaerwen Auction Centre

Messrs Morgan Evans & Co report an entry of 180 Ewe & Lamb couples, In-Lamb Ewes and Store Hoggets. Flying trade again in all sections with plenty of buyers present. Store Hoggets selling to £102 and couples averaging £68 per life throughout. In-Lamb ewes also in demand achieving excellent prices.

Highest Priced Store Lambs
£102 - R I Owen, Gorlan, Glantraeth

Store Lambs – average £69
EasyCare to £102
Texel to £85
Beltex to £81
X/Bred to £80
Suffolk to £58
Welsh to £57
Jacob to £45

New Breed Record for EasyCare ram

On Saturday 21 September at McCartneys in Worcester a smart double myostatin carrier yearling EasyCareTM ram bred by Richard Owen was sold to JE & MS Davies Llanilar. He was the highest priced yearling EasyCareTM ram in the sale and at 2,200 guineas he achieved the breed record price

The tup was shown by the next generation, Richard's son and Iolo Owen, the breed's founder's grandson William Owen (left in the photograph) with Hedd Davies the purchasers son.

Trade over all ages was strong with Mr John Davies achieving 1,100gns and 1,350gns for double myostatin yearling rams, none myostatin carriers to 800gns. Senior rams sold to 460gns to K Kearney from I Owen.

Yearling ewes sold to £164 from Jo Adams to G & M Shepherd. Ewe lambs sold to £88 from Mr Roper to Mr Jeffrey.

There was a full clearance of stock with strong prices achieved.

The Society thanks Clive Roads and his team for their help in making the 2019 Society Sale at Worcester a success.

Reports for the 2019 Society Sales

The first Society Sale of 2019 at Skipton was short on sheep for sale but strong on buyers for the sheep presented.

John Garnett of Skipton’s senior ram, bred by James Howard of Holmfirth, sold to Mr Jackson of Blubberhouses near Otley for 310gns. The average price for senior rams was 240gns, no yearling rams were presented.

We had 57 females forward to sell. Smart 6 toothed ewes from John Bargh of Preston achieved 105gns sold to Mrs Jowett of Bentham, four toothed made 115gns again to Mrs Jowett and Mr Bargh’s yearlings, who had all raised a lamb this year made 128gns sold to Neil Greenwood of Trawden.

John Hobson of Bingley put 40 yearling ewes May/June 2018 born in the sale. They sold to 132gns to telephone bids from Mr George Hay, Insch, Aberdeenshire and to new flock starters Messrs Laycock of Silsden near Keighley.

The Society would like to thank Ted Ogden for conducting a good sale. We will be back in 2020.

The EasyCareTM Sheep Society AGM and Open Days in Lincolnshire - what a success!

EasyCareTM Open Day

On the last weekend of June, the EasyCare Sheep Society held their annual Open Day. With interest in the breed continuing to grow, and the low maintenance, wool-shedding, lamb finishing breed, looking all the more attractive to forward-thinking farmers, this year’s Open Days were set to be a success, and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

Saturday saw EasyCare stalwarts and new faces alike enjoy the hospitality of James and Rachel Barton at their farm near Gainsborough. Historically more arable based, it was their son Chris who initiated the introduction of EasyCare sheep to the business, and since then both generations have come to appreciate the breed.

The guests had the chance to see a range of their stock, including freshly weaned ram lambs, rams, and ewes. Throughout the morning we heard of the fantastic ability of the EasyCare breed to meet retail specifications - from supermarket buyers themselves no less! – and how the low labour costs and reductions in chemical and medicine use (due to reduced fly strike risk, good feet, and resilience to worms) of the EasyCare breed will be vital for sheep producers as the industry moves forward into the unknown, and increasingly challenging business environment.

The afternoon saw the day move to James and Rachel’s other farm unit, where EasyCare lambs were being finished, along with a shed of Holstein x Belgium Blue cattle.

The Barton’s cross a percentage of their EasyCares to a Beltex tup, and it was interesting to see and hear of the differences between those and their pure EasyCare lambs.

Agrimin, a trace element and mineral product company were on hand to give a brief overview of the importance of blood testing stock (once every one or two years) and working with your vet and/or abattoir to liver sample for nutritional deficiencies. The Agrimin representative, Tom, demonstrated the correct bolusing procedure – straight into the mouth, not at the side like wormers - while shepherd for the flock, Oliver, talked of his experience with bolusing and his belief in its success in improving lambing percentage and lamb vigour at birth.

The Society dinner on Saturday night proved a success with three courses of lovely food, and drinks and conversation flowing. No doubt a later start on Sunday morning was appreciated by a few members!

Sunday morning's farm visit was hosted by Andrew and Simon Casswell and family. It included a thoroughly interesting tractor trailer tour and presentation, surrounding their work on farming within a Higher Level Stewardship scheme including wetland grazing and lapwing habitat management, and how they manage to incorporate both grazing and forage crops for their EasyCare sheep into the arable rotation. With the suggestion of ‘public money for public goods’ fresh in people’s minds, their knowledge and experiences proved to be of great interest to the group.

Throughout the weekend, chat amongst those gathered focused on dispelling the myths surrounding the EasyCare breed; its value as both a maternal ewe and prime lamb producer was of particular notability, with many who currently run EasyCare flocks expressing their delight at its low labour and maintenance requirements, whilst also meeting optimum grades for retailers and the export market with low feed inputs.

The future of the sheep industry was discussed, no doubt some have acquired new tups for the coming Autumn, and enthusiasm and passion for the EasyCare breed ran high, with the opportunity to see different systems and learn from others – as always – of great value to all those that attended.

Many thanks to all those involved with organisation of the Open Day weekend, and to both families for opening up their farm gates to the masses!

Please watch this space for details of the 2020 annual AGM and Open Day

Georgie Gater-Moore

New Publicity Officer

The Society has taken on Georgina Gater-Moore [Georgie] as their new Press and Publicity Officer.

Georgie is currently finishing her BSc [Hons] Degree at Harper Adams and will start her role with the Society immediately.

Georgie will attend the Society Open Day and AGM so everyone will get a chance to meet her. She will be looking for volunteers to do short features on farm with the hope of getting them to press.

We look forward to working with Georgie and hope that the breed benefits from the extra publicity.

If you have any news items or want to get in touch with Georgie she can be contacted by email using publicity@easycaresheep.com .

In particular Georgie would appreciate any good quality phone or camera photos to start creating a collection for social media use etc. If you have any please send directly to her via her new email address.

Your Society continues to work on your behalf to promote the EasyCare Sheep breed.

EasyCare Sheep - Take care when purchasing from social media sites

EasyCare sheep are not pedigree nor are they 'registered', nor do we have a flock book. The Original True EasyCare sheep have been bred over the last 50 years by Iolo Owen at his farm on Anglesey. The Original True EasyCare sheep is one derived from his flock. That sheep is derived from mixing breeds and a lot of hard work.