Recording has lifted sheep performance in a Powys hill flock with figures showing the value of genetic gains driven through estimated breeding values (EBVs).

Since 2016, there has been a 3.2kg increase in eight-week-old lamb weights in the Wenallt flock at Upper Wenallt, Talybont-on-Usk. Muscle depth at scanning has increased by 2.9mm and scanning weights by 5.9kg.

The pure-bred Welsh Mountain flock is largely made up of ewes with an EBV in the top 25% for their breed on performance.

It all started in 2010 when the Williams family began performance recording, recognising it as an important tool for genetic progress.

“We could see it was the way forward,’’ recalls Edward, who farms with his parents, Glyn and Lynne.

EBVs, which indicate exactly where an animal ranks within the breed for specific traits of economic importance, play an important role in the flock’s profitability.

Edward says the figures allow him to make better breeding decisions, both within his own flock and when breeding rams for his commercial and pedigree customers.

“If we wanted to get to the very top I didn’t want to have to pump an animal with feed, I decided that performance recording was a more genuine way to achieve that and commercially the most viable, and that probably is the case.

“Although our rams are not making thousands and thousands like some do in the traditional sales we have a solid average and with the fixed pricing structure we’re not selling any rams below the cost of production.’’

Some sales are directly from the farm but the majority are through the annual Prohill sale at Aberystwyth.

Upper Wenallt, which covers 220 acres, rises from 750 feet to 1,160 feet above Talybont-on-Usk.

Grazed grass plays an important part in the system with root crops helping to fill the winter feed gap - 12 acres of swedes are grown annually for pregnant ewes and single rearing ewes after lambing.

There are 370 ewes in total, including 80 pedigree Black Welsh Mountains.

One hundred Welsh ewes are recorded with great importance placed on maternal ability and eight-week growth rate; care is taken not to increase mature ewe size.

Data accuracy in the flock is very high because it has been recorded for 13 years.

“We can look back six generations, in some probably more because we bought rams that had been recording for six years before us. There is quite a depth of breeding and reliability in there now,’’ says Edward.

When he receives his figures from Signet, the first piece of data he reviews is the overall index.

This is important as the index is what he sells his rams on. “In terms of individual attributes, the maternal ability and milkiness of ewes is vital, so I look to eight-week weight,’’ he explains.

Recording has lifted performance across the whole flock as high index rams are used on the crossbred ewes, taking out the bottom performers.

“We no longer have poor performing ewes that consistently produce poor lambs, the recording system flags those ewes very quickly,’’ says Edward.

The rolling averages show a significant increase in the weight of both single and twin-reared lambs – the eight-week weights for single-producing ewes average 22.8kg and total lamb weight produced for ewes rearing twins 35.9kg/ewe.

Scan weight output per ewe taken at 20 weeks averages 33.6kg for singles and 58.9kg for twins, from ewes with a 48kg mature weight.

Single ewes are weaning 70% of their mature bodyweight and twins 122% without creep and only minimal concentrates for twin bearing ewes.

Early finishing is where the flock has seen gains. In recent years Edward has been concentrating on muscle depth and positive fat depth.

For him, the speed at which the lambs leave the farm is important, with good fat cover key to that.

“It is no good to me having a 40kg lamb that is not fit to go to slaughter and needs to be fed on concentrates for a month to finish, I prefer a 36kg lamb that is fit and ready to go to free up grazing for stock left on farm,’’ Edward insists.