Breeding
\nBetter: QMS Partners on Net Zero Genetics Project<\/p>\n
By Dr.\u00a0Emma
\nMcGowan, Genetics Specialist at Quality Meat Scotland (QMS)<\/p>\n
At QMS, we\u2019re committed to harnessing genetics to secure a more
\nefficient, sustainable future for Scotland\u2019s red meat sector. One of the most
\npromising opportunities lies in breeding strategies that improve production
\nefficiency, reduce environmental impact, and enhance animal health and welfare.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why we\u2019re delighted to be working with the Agri-Food for
\nNet Zero (AFN) Network on an exciting new scoping study: Breeding Better Beef
\nand Sheep.<\/p>\n
Led by Kat Watson at the Royal Agricultural University, this
\ncollaborative one-year project brings together farmers, industry bodies, and
\nacademic researchers to identify breeding strategies that are cost-effective,
\npractical, and contribute meaningfully to the UK\u2019s net zero ambitions.<\/p>\n
The project\u2019s unique approach is putting farmers in the driving
\nseat. Researchers are engaging directly with 20 case study farms from across
\nthe devolved nations, alongside key industry stakeholders, to understand the
\nbreeding techniques they use for sheep and cattle, and the relative impact of
\nthese on both emissions and farm profitability.<\/p>\n
In parallel, the team is undertaking a comprehensive review of
\nscientific literature to establish which breeding strategies show the greatest
\npromise for reducing greenhouse gas emissions\u2014an area that is proving as
\ncomplex as it is crucial.<\/p>\n
The research team is now collating and analysing all this
\ninformation, with plans to share findings at industry workshops in the autumn.
\nThese workshops will be key to shaping the future of breeding practices for
\nbeef and sheep across the UK.<\/p>\n
What Have We Learned So Far?<\/p>\n
Kat Watson and her team have shared some early insights:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we have found so far is that breeding programmes and
\napproaches are hugely variable, even within one sector. Each farmer we speak to
\nseems to take a slightly different approach based on their farming context,
\nwhich is appropriate but makes measuring and comparing relative impact on net
\nzero and costs very tricky.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat seems consistent is the need for reliable records to inform
\ndecisions, from choosing replacements and breeding stock to monitoring animal
\nperformance over their lifetime. This data comes from variable, fragmented
\nsources and is of varying quality. But the literature shows a consistent
\nbenefit from using breed indexes, with further benefits from selecting breeding
\nanimals based on genomic information. The role of genomics in the future of
\nfarming seems advantageous when used to inform breeding decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Word From Our Farmers<\/p>\n
As the project progresses, farmers\u2019 voices are central. They\u2019re
\nsharing invaluable insights into what breeding strategies work on the ground,
\nthe challenges they face, and how genetics can support their business and the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
David Hill, Suffolk breeder enrolled in the project, said:
\n“For our system, genomics is a huge part of the health of our flock. This
\ncan be a real win if we move the industry towards disease resistance.”<\/p>\n
Stay tuned this autumn for the opportunity to join our workshops
\nand help shape the future of sustainable beef and sheep production in the UK.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Breeding Better: QMS Partners on Net Zero Genetics Project By Dr.\u00a0Emma McGowan, Genetics Specialist at Quality Meat Scotland…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":110991,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[200,63882,63887,63883,79,63884,63885,63886],"class_list":["post-110990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-genetics","tag-genetics","tag-qms","tag-quality-assurance-meat-industry","tag-quality-meat-scotland","tag-science","tag-scottish-food","tag-scottish-meat","tag-scottish-red-meat"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110990"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110990\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}