01501nam a2200181 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000210006024500740008126001500015552009110030565000240121665000240124065000100126465000100127470000180128470000170130220886732025-01-30       2001    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aMcLEAN, B. M. L.  aImproving lamb performance from Welsh Mountain Sheep breeding groups.  aIn: ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BRITISH SOCIETY OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, 2001, Scarborough, UK. Proceedings... Medlothian: BSAS, 2001. 1 CD ROM. p. 223c2001  aThe objectives of this project were therefore twofold, 1.) was to improve traits such as weight and carcass conformation and 2.) to demonstrate the benefits of cooperative groups working together. In this project, group breeding schemes from North and Mid Wales have been working together with ram performance testing groups from North, South and Mid Wales to improve results from Welsh Mountain breeding schemes. Inter-bred rams produce heavier lambs at birth and this difference in weight was maintained at shearing and weaning. Consequently, lambs from crossbred rams were heavier at finishing and had heavier carcass weights. These results suggest that significant genetic improvement can be achieved within breeds over a short period of time if a large genetic pool of performance recorded animals are used in selective breeding programmes. This can be achieved by cooperative groups working together.  aCarcass composition  aGenetic improvement  aLambs  aSheep1 aDAVIES, O. D.1 aEVANS, D. E.