How performance recording led to a 30p/kg lamb price premium
© Debbie James Performance recording has helped a Powys hill farm capture a £6 a lamb price premium, while higher-index ewes are weaning an average 4.2kg more lamb than the lower-index ones.
Estimated breeding values (EBVs) at Meity Isaf, near Trecastle, are being used to improve selected traits – including litter size and lamb growth rates – and produce ewes that can better maintain body condition.
The end goal is to breed the best-performing ewe for the system, says Iwan Davies, who farms with his parents, Brian and Nicky.
See also: Benefits of breeding values in lamb weights and ewe fertility
The family took on the tenancy of 66ha (163-acre) in 2013. Iwan, now 28 and the youngest of three siblings, farms full time.
Brian, who grew up on a farm, has continued to work as a construction foreman and Nicky has a part-time job as a personal assistant.
Farm facts: Meity Isaf, near Trecastle, Powys
Iwan Davies @ Debbie James
- Land rising from 1,000m to 1,400m
- Grazing rights on Great Forest for 600 ewes
- Replacement ewes winter tacked in Pembrokeshire
- 110% average flock scanning percentage
- 17-19kg average deadweight, at mostly R3L
- Small number of Hereford suckler cows and pigs
- Meity Isaf boxed beef and pork sold direct to consumers
Confidence to invest
Their 10-year farm business tenancy has since been renewed, which gave the family the confidence and stability to invest in the business, including improving their flock of mostly Brecknock Hill Cheviots.
They took on the farm’s flock of 450 ewes and 120 replacements with the tenancy, maintaining that number and introducing a small number of Welsh Mule-crosses by tupping four-year-old ewes with a Bluefaced Leicester.
In 2023, the business successfully applied to join the Farming Connect Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme (WSGP) to use performance recording to genetically improve the flock.
“As tenant farmers, we must do everything we can to be as efficient and profitable as possible,” says Iwan.
“For us, that includes using the tools of performance recording to find an animal that is the right match for the farm’s environment and how we farm – once you have those genetics in the flock, they are there.
“If your lambs finish off grass quicker and at better weights, it stands to reason that they will be more profitable,” he adds.
Early marginal gains
The flock is made up largely of ewes with indexes in the top 10% for their breed, based on performance.
After just two lambing seasons, marginal gains have already been achieved through performance recording.
There has been a 0.2kg uplift in eight-week lamb weights and a 4% improvement in lamb survival rates – the lamb survival index has increased from 0.18 to 0.22 since becoming a part of the WSGP.
One of the biggest wins has been an opportunity to sell lambs at a price premium.
This is because a proportion of their lamb sales to Dunbia – about 70% – are now eligible for a 30p/kg price uplift as a gold supplier to Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference lamb.
“For us, that works out at an average of £6 a lamb,” says Iwan. “Performance recording helped us get onto the scheme because one of the criteria is using EBVs.”
Providing KPIs is another requirement, he adds. “Performance recording provides us with all the data, so all we have to do is pull our KPIs from those figures, which makes everything easier.”
Lower cost of production
Reducing cost of production is his principal goal from improving genetics and one of his main reasons for joining the programme.
“We have hill grazing rights, so if we can produce a sheep that can do better on the hill, we will use less fertiliser and concentrates. All that means a cheaper cost of production,” he says.
“It is environmentally friendly too – because if we are not spending on cake but feeding grass we can grow at home, our lamb is going to have a lower carbon footprint.”
Better breeding decisions
Some 300 ewes were selected for recording, and replacements have since been bred from these. Progeny are electronic identification tagged, and DNA samples taken from their ears at eight weeks of age.
The analysis of the DNA is matched to that of the ewes and sires used, to allow parentage to be assigned.
Having those figures allows better breeding decisions to be made, providing the information the Davies family need to decide which rams and ewes produce the offspring most suited to Meity Isaf and the hill land.
They have invested in a performance recorded tup – purchased direct from a breeder – and it has paid off.
“When I drafted the ram lambs in 2025, I didn’t initially do that from my figures. I picked the nicest hill-type of lambs instead, but when I checked, they were all progeny of that performance-recorded ram,” says Iwan.
It is not just the data that illustrates the improvements, there is a visual difference too.
“Some of the ewes are holding their condition better and we can see that these are the higher-index ewes because we have tagged them accordingly,” he explains.
Twin-bearing ewes are housed up to eight weeks before lambing, depending on weather conditions, and fed an 18% protein concentrate and hay.
Singles historically grazed turnips ahead of outdoor lambing, but this year they are on 2.8ha (7 acres) of rape and Italian ryegrass, as this will provide spring grazing too.
Some of the early-born lambs are creep fed to accelerate finishing from mid-June to support cashflow, but most are finished off grass. A strong store price in 2025 saw the tail-enders sold through that market.
Breeding action plan
Iwan says there are no downsides to recording, although the time and labour requirement can be a challenge. “Fitting it into an already busy day can be a bit of a struggle, and also getting up to speed with it all,” he admits.
Recording has given him a better understanding of how his flock is performing.
“It stops us from getting sidetracked because we are forced to do it to keep up to date with data – that accountability makes you keep on top of it,” he says.
“All strong businesses rely on solid foundations, and our ewe flock underpins the performance and value of every lamb born.”
Each flock has a breeding action plan, and also receives an annual review of their flock’s performance, says Gwawr Williams, head of sheep genetics at Mentera, which delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh government.
Farmers are increasingly realising the benefits of improving their flock through genetics, whether by full performance recording the flock, or purchasing stock rams with EBVs, she adds.
“By gathering initial KPIs and information on participating flocks for the breeding action plan, we were able to identify areas for genetic improvement.
“Annual reviews then allow farmers to see the progress in their flock’s performance, and also detailed information on each individual animal – which allows them to make justified breeding decisions and focus on key traits they wish to improve within their own flock.”