Genetic advancements to deliver great improvements in sheep flock

COST reductions and pooled international research into sheep genomics could soon lead to a dramatic improvement in the Irish flock.

Teagasc researcher Dr Orla Keane believes that the singling out of individual gene traits and genetic selection in sheep will lead to a significant improvement in the Irish flock.

New DNA chip technology and other pooled global technical advances should see the International Sheep Genomics Consortium (ISGC) release some very positive results before the end of 2011.