''WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN GOLD''
'NEW' UK trial shows benefit of between £1 - £3 per lamb
(for further information about the UK trial please CLICK below)
Background
Breeding and farming sheep which are better at converting feed to produce a higher value carcase will improve the profitability of lamb producers.
MyoMAX® is a DNA test for a gene which increases a lamb's carcase weight and muscle yield. Sheep identified with the MyoMAX® effect have increased muscling in the leg and loin, less carcase fat and an improved carcase weight compared to non-MyoMAX® animals of the same live-weight and genetic background.
The MyoMAX® effect can be passed on to lambs by either the ram, ewe or both parents. A lamb that recieves 1 copy of the gene will have 5% more muscling in the leg and loin and 7% less carcase fat. An animal with MyoMAX® from both parents will have up to 10% more muscling and 14% less carcase fat called a MyoMAX® Gold carrier, which is ideal for both maternal and terminal breeding systems.
Large-scale industry trials in New Zealand have confirmed and validated the MyoMAX® effect in a number of industry populations of different genetic backgrounds and production systems. These trials have also confirmed that MyoMAX® has no negative effects on oter traits including meat quality, lamb survival and growth rate.
MyoMAX® has been identified within Texel and composite breeds containing Texel genetics. MyoMAX® is being actively introgressed into other terminal and maternal breeds. Testing in the UK has shown that there is a very high frequency of the MyoMAX® genes in the Texel breed, however we have also found a significant frequency in both Lleyn's and Charollais. This is great news for producers of these breeds as it means that they are now able to more easily identify and breed animals with higher value carcases.
Costs
MyoMAX® is now available in combination with Scrapie, so you can now add value to your flock by getting more valuable information from a single blood spot.
|
1 - 10 samples |
£24 + VAT per sample |
|
11 - 30 samples |
£20 + VAT per sample |
|
30+ samples |
£15 + VAT per sample |
LoinMAX®
The loin muscle is the source of the highest value cuts of lamb and is a key driver of carcase value.
LoinMAX® is a DNA test for a gene which increases the size of the loin muscle in sheep.
Sheep identified with the LoinMAX® effect have 10% more muscle in the loin compared to non-LoinMAX® animals of the same genetic background.
A LoinMAX® Gold ram has 2 copies of the gene and passes the LoinMAX® muscling effect on to all of its offspring. This makes the LoinMAX® Gold ram ideal for use as a terminal sire for prime lamb production.
Actively selecting for LoinMAX® will significantly increase the rate of genetic gain in muscling even when breeders are already selecting for muscling as part of their performance recording program. The LoinMAX® DNA test is the only way to rapidly identify and breed LoinMAX® Gold animals.
Large scale idustry trials in New Zealand have confirmed and validated the LoinMAX® effect in a number of industry populations of different genetic backgrounds and via different quantative methods of phenotypic measurements eg. live animal scan v's carcase bone-out data. These trials have also confirmed that LoinMAX® has no significant negative effects on other traits such as meat quality or growth rate.
LoinMAX® has been identified within Poll Dorsets and composite breeds containing Poll Dorset genetics. Industry validation trials indicate that the frequency of LoinMAX® carriers within unselected Poll Dorset flocks is 5-10% on average. LoinMAX® is also being actively introgressed into other terminal sire breeds in New Zealand.
Cost
The cost of LoinMAX® testing is £25 + VAT per sample