Future Farming Systems

Can circadian rhythm be used as an indicator of sheep welfare in extensive grazing systems? We hypothesise that circadian rhythm is lost when an animal is stressed or sick.

Does grazing behaviour influence greenhouse gas emissions by individual sheep? It is already known that ruminants grazing on low protein diets (i.e.

Can grazed grasslands store as much, or more, Carbon than ungrazed grasslands? And is it possible to maintain biodiversity, store Carbon and produce food from one unit of hill? This project will investigate these issues.

Every sheep over 12 months old must be identified with an electronic tag, giving potential for improvements in management.

Can sheep in a Carbon-efficient system (with individually targeted inputs) perform better in terms of meat production and economics, compared to a traditional system? And how do groups of genetically distinct sheep perform in a C-efficient system compared to those in a traditional system?

Producing meat inevitably means generating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

This project will explore how new ideas and technologies are taken up within the farming community, using focus groups.

Small-scale industry led trials are planned in collaboration with NFUS:

• Using the hill ewe flock:

– Testing EBVs in a high hill environment (EBV = Estimated Breeding Values)
– Plant-induced photosensitisation - the role of genetics in the susceptibility of animals to bog asphodel toxicity (known as ‘plochteach’ or ‘yellowses’)
– Impact on biodiversity of re-introducing sheep to the hills

• Using hill cattle:

– Low cost winter feed
– Impact on biodiversity of hill cattle grazing