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Project Code [SusSheP]
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Project title
Sustainable Sheep Production
Primary Funding Agency
Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine
Co-Funding Organisation(s)
n/a
Lead Organisation
University of Limerick (UL)
Project Abstract
The overall aim of SusSheP is to increase the sustainability and profitability of European Sheep Production by addressing key industry
focused problems.
Sheep are unproductive (but carbon productive) until they produce their first lamb crop, normally at 2 years of age and, on average, ewes
only produce 4 crops of lambs in their lifetime. Despite its importance both from an economic and environmental perspective ewe longevity
is not included in sheep breeding indexes across Europe. SusSheP will establish the genetic factors controlling ewe longevity, under different
Sheep Production Systems (SPSs) and assess if early life predictors (eg reared as single, twin etc) can be used to predict longevity. Parallel
to this, SusSheP will identify the most carbon and labour efficient SPSs under different management systems (eg prolific vs non-prolific
sheep breeds) in order to enable the development of strategies to reduce the labour input and carbon hoof print per kg of output.
The breeding of more efficient sheep has been hampered internationally by the lack of sheep artificial insemination, as the only effective
method for use with frozen-thawed semen is a laparoscopic procedure, whereby, semen is injected directly into the uterus but this requires
veterinary expertise, is welfare unfriendly and sociable unacceptable. The only exception to this is in Norway, in which vaginal deposition of
frozen-thawed semen yields good pregnancy rates. Research in Ireland has demonstrated this is due to the breed of the ewe used in Norway,
whereby sperm can transverse the cervix in greater numbers than in other breeds, leading to higher pregnancy rates. SusSheP will
interrogate the differences across breeds in cervical physiology and its secretions (genes, proteins and glycans) with a view of developing a
more sociably acceptable AI method. Finally, through the participation of strategically chosen SME�s, SusSheP will maximise knowledge
transfer to industry, farmers and the scientific communities.
Grant Approved
�244,999.00
Research Theme
Ireland's Future Climate, its Impacts, and Adaptation Options
Initial Projected Completion Date
30/04/2020