Eblex
A new project that aims for genetic improvement in the sheep industry is looking for rams for artificial insemination (AI).
The team behind the RamCompare project is looking for eight rams for the AI section of the project: two Texel, two Charolais, two Suffolk, one Meatlinc and one Hampshire Down.
The RamCompare project was announced earlier this year, with the aim of driving genetic improvement forward through the inclusion of commercial data in genetic evaluations.
Eblex explained that many of the potential AI rams have been identified, and semen that has already been collected from widely used sires is being used where possible. However, some rams are being sent for semen collection.
Samuel Boon, Eblex breeding services manager, said: “This is an exciting phase of the RamCompare project, as we seek to find the rams that will start off the initiative.
“We have been in touch with all registered performance recorded breeders and are confident that the project will move forward with some of the best rams available involved.
”The next stage will be to purchase 24 rams for use by natural mating within the single-sire mating groups in the first year of the trial.
Cattle prices are coming under pressure from slow consumer demand and ample supply, Eblex has warned.
This combination, experienced by both domestic and imported beef, continues to drive some restraint among processors, the red meat levy board reported, resulting in “downward pressures” on the prime cattle market.
In the week ending 18 April prices for all classes of cattle fell – all prime deadweight cattle prices were 3p down on the previous week.
Similar pressures have been felt in the Scottish beef cattle trade, where animals have been kept on farms instead of being sent for slaughter. Eblex said this was giving rise to fears the beef market could return to the crisis point it found itself in last year when the beef price crashed.
However, Debbie Butcher, senior market analyst at Eblex, said this could change as the season moves into its “transitional period”.
“This development has been a feature of the market for a couple of months or so and reflects the continued imbalance in supply and demand. However, with the expectations that cattle supplies are set to tighten, (throughputs in March and April so far suggest this may have already started) the balance in the trade could move into a position that is less out of kilter, in particular as the season moves towards its transitional period between yarded and grass-fed supplies,” Butcher commented.
Eblex reported that lower cattle numbers in Ireland, resulting in fewer imports, could help support the market in the medium term.
“However, with the current fine weather unlikely to stimulate demand for roasting cuts, it is likely that caution among processors could persist in the short term, which, coupled with the euro exchange rate and its impact on the competitiveness of UK product on the continent, continues to offer some downside risk to the trade,” Butcher concluded.
The finalists of Eblex’s inaugural ‘England’s Best Sirloin Steak’ competition have been announced after significant interest from various businesses across the UK..
Eblex’s foodservice manager Hugh Judd said he was “delighted” with the level of interest in the competition.
‘England’s Best Sirloin Steak’ is one of three competitions to make up the newly launched Quality Standard Mark Excellence Awards 2015, along with ‘England’s Best Innovative Steak’ and ‘England’s Best Steak Pie’.
The competitions recognise products that deliver excellent eating quality and customer satisfaction.
Judd was impressed with the standard of entries: “First-round judging was incredibly difficult as the quality of entries quickly became evident. Just over half of the sirloin steaks entered achieved Gold Award status and, from those, the three top-scoring products in each category were selected as finalists.”
The finalists include:
Independent Butcher: Owen Taylor & Sons of Alfreton, Derbyshire with ‘Larder Trim Sirloin’Barlows of Kirkby in Ashfield, Notts with ‘Sirloin’Breeding Vision of Dunstable, Beds with ‘Wagyu X Sirloin’
Multiple Retailer or Manufacturer/Supplier: Musgrave Retail Partners GB with ‘Budgens “Discover the Taste” Sirloin Steak’Buitelaar Production (UK) with ‘Buitelaar Select Sirloin’Linden Foods with ‘Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Mature Sirloin’
Catering Butcher or Foodservice Operator/Supplier: Mitchells & Butlers with ‘Miller and Carter Sirloin Steak’Walter Rose & Son with ‘Sirloin Steak’Solent Butchers with ‘Southern Pride Sirloin Steak’
The category winners and Overall Winner in all three Quality Standard Mark Excellence Awards competitions will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at the Underglobe in London on 22 April 2015.