Livestock breeding has always been about observing physical characteristics that produce desirable economic traits.

With blue-grey suckler cows it was always said those with white bellies were the best mothers and with sheep it's a truism that they "will grow to their ears" which means the best sheep always tend to have big ears, says David Uffold as he looked at the results of blood samples taken to see if the Texel sheep at The Firs, Broncroft have what is called the MyoMAX gene.

MyoMAX is a DNA test for a gene, which increases a lamb's carcass weight and muscle yield. A MyoMAX animal has one copy of the gene whereas MyoMAX gold animals have two and will pass on at least a single copy to all progeny.

Validation has shown a lamb, which receives one copy of the gene, will have 5% more muscularity in the leg and loin, and 7% less carcass fat.

An animal with MyoMAX from both parents will have up to 10% more muscle.

"We have always bred sheep for easy fleshing and with good backsides," David added.

"It is nice to know that the latest science technology backs up the approach since all the Texel stock rams at The Firs are classified as MyoMAX gold.

"We were one of the first flocks to embrace scrapie genotyping and I hope we will be in the vanguard for using DNA testing to establish sound economic traits.

"If we can take one blood sample which will give us information on growth rate, muscularity and carcass fat as well as other factors such as worm resistance, this must be an advantage and takes out the effect of the stockman when assessing breeding stock," he adds.

The Broncroft flock's new gene testing status has coincided with the annual sale of 90 Pedigree Texel sheep from the flock. This will be held by McCartneys at The Firs, Broncroft, Craven Arms, on Friday, September 1 at 8pm. The sale will include 33 shearling rams, 27 ram lambs, 15 ewes and 15 ewe lambs. The majority by rams will have the benefit of MyoMAX gold status.