Hill Index

The most important attributes of a hill ewe are those that make her a ‘good mother’.She must be able to survive, conceive, give birth to and raise her lambs in environmental conditions that are often harsh. However, increasing pressure on all sectors of the sheep industry to improve carcase quality means that hill sheep must also produce lambs that grow well and meet market specifications. This presents a challenge to hill sheep breeders, who need to select breeding stock to improve both maternal and carcase characteristics. The most effective way to simultaneously improve this diverse range of traits is through index selection. The hill index takes into account, this wide range of breeding goals in order to enhance the overall productivity of the hill ewe.