Standardising morphological classification criteria in ARDI

ARDI project members met in Ayherre with technicians from the livestock associations of the Basque Country and Navarre on 23rd October 2018 to divulge and standardise the morphological classification criteria applied to the Manech red head.

During the visit to a commercial sheep farm, the CDEO members pointed out the morphological characteristics comprising the breed standard of Manech red head likewise how these are classified in both replacement lambs, and the parents of rams which will be assessed in the insemination centres. They pointed out that the presence of horns, spots on the head, weak stance, weakness of the backbone line and udder defects, among others, are penalising characteristics. Furthermore, the work session evidenced the interest and importance of standardised qualifying and disqualifying criteria among the classifiers.