The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Saliva test feature of Glenisla sheep sale
McGowan family’s Incheoch flock of Lleyns part of UK programme
Shepherds will be able to select rams with a genetic tolerance to parasitic stomach worms at a sale in Glenisla tomorrow evening.
It will be the first time in Scotland that a test developed by Glasgow University’s vet school has been used ahead of a sale.
The Saliva IgA test involves taking saliva samples from all lambs in a flock and testing these for the level of immune response which the lamb has produced.
The lambs which show a greater immune response are more able to tolerate a worm challenge.
There is a strong genetic element to the trait, so an estimated breeding value (EBV) has been developed to help breeders identify bloodlines which excel in this health trait. By selecting breeding stock from these more robust bloodlines it is expected that commercial sheep flocks will become less reliant on worm drenches.
The McGowan family’s Incheoch flock of Lleyns in Glenisla have been part of a UK-wide programme to commercialise the test, and 900 lambs have been tested over the last three years. The 47 Lleyn rams on offer at their on-farm ram sale will be the first available in Scotland with Saliva IgA EBVs.
As the EBV is so far only available to the Lleyn breed, the 45 Texel rams also in the sale only have the previously available faecal egg count (FEC) EBV.
Neil McGowan said the innovative approach to sheep health was exciting.
“The saliva test is a bit easier to sample than the FEC test which we have been utilising for the last 10 years, and it is thought that it might be more accurate.
“We consider the trait important enough to continue with both approaches, and even at this early stage have identified rams which come up trumps under both tests,” he said.
“With drench resistance a growing issue for our industry, we need to be using every tool in the box to keep sheep farming profitable and sustainable.
“Genetics is one of the key tools. I visited farms in Australia last year who had cut their lamb drenches to less than half of their previous use after selecting for FEC EBVs.”