The Maternal Sheep Group (MSG) represent over 5,000 performance recorded ewes over 10 farms across Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. The joint aim of the members of the MSG is to provide sheep that do the job with less labour to increase profitability.

Members have been selecting ewes and rams for easier management traits, such as ease of lambing, shedding and foot health, for over 15 years, alongside a focus on estimated breeding values (EBVs). Now maternal ability sits alongside carcase traits within the group’s objective to ensure the breeding females are great mothers right while lambs are hitting market specifications.

Work done by the Scottish Sheep Strategy showed that daughters from a ram with high maternal estimated breeding values (EBV) will produce an extra £11 per ewe per year compared to those from a low index ram from more and heavier lambs.

The farms within the group cover a massive geographical range from the coast to the Highlands of Scotland. It should be possible to match your farm, system and breeding objectives with one of the members.

We sell around 100 rams and over 1,000 breeding females direct from the farms per year with an aim of increasing sales. The sheep are naturally reared and have not been pushed for shows or sales and therefore will not melt when taken home. If you are interested in talking to one of the members about their flocks, please contact maternalsheepgroup@gmail.com.