Red Meat Development Programme findings to be published
A five-year programme designed to improve efficiency in the red meat supply chain will be sharing it’s results at a National Sheep Association (NSA) event later this month.
Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) Red Meat Development Programme will be highlighted at the NSA event at Red House Farm, Aberhafesp on the 16th May.
Funded through the Welsh Government and the EU Rural Development Programme, the Red Meat Development Programme has consisted of three projects each focusing on a different aspect of the red meat supply chain.
The Hill Ram Scheme has supported the use of genetic recording technology to empower hill farmers and breeders to collect and interpret genetic information about their flocks. Combining traditional hill farming with the latest agri-technologies, the Hill Ram Scheme demonstrates how traditional farming methods can be complemented with highly scientific technology to support sustainable sheep farming in Wales.
Stoc+ is a flock and herd health planning project which has engaged with beef and sheep farmers and vets across Wales to improve proactive health planning on farms. Concurrently, research work has also been undertaken into diseases and issues which affect farmers efficiency and sustainability such as beef fertility and sheep lameness.
The final strand of the programme is the Welsh Lamb Meat Quality Project which has taken a whole supply chain approach to ensuring that Welsh Lamb delivers a premium eating quality experience. On farm and processing factors have been investigated and the feedback of 2000 consumers from across the UK has been analysed to understand consumer preference. Research has also been undertaken into consumers’ buying and cooking habits to gain a full farm to fork analysis.
HCC’s producer and processor lead, John Richards, said: “The NSA event is a key event for the Welsh sheep industry and we are looking forward to attending and meeting up with levy-payers and project farmers on the day to highlight how these project have benefitted the Welsh sheep farmers and the wider red meat supply chain.”
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