Towards value-based marketing of UK lamb

To continue to be a major lamb producer and exporter in Europe, the economic viability of the UK sheep industry must improve. This is achievable by: a) improving efficiency of production and carcass quality, so that carcasses better meet market requirements; and b) increasing consumer acceptance by supplying a consistently high quality product. Whole supply-chain solutions are required to enable new advances in breeding, precision livestock management and product quality measurement to be harnessed within a value-based marketing system that will incentivise product quality. Industry-led research projects are underway to investigate the possibilities of breeding for improved lamb carcass and meat quality within the stratified UK sheep industry, and developing industry strategies to allow UK-wide exploitation of the outcomes. Using technologies including Video Image Analysis, Computed Tomography and Near-Infrared spectroscopy, genetic and genomic selection for new product quality traits, relating to lean meat and fat distribution, meat quality and health traits, is being tested. Preliminary results will be presented examining genetic control and relationships amongst product quality traits, across purebred and crossbred sheep populations. Implications and recommendations for industry implementation will be considered.