# Sustainable Sheep Production \(SusSheP\) SCF0210

> Contract award record from UK public-sector procurement sources.

## Key facts

- Public buyer: Defra Network eTendering Portal
- Contract winner: [SAC Commercial Ltd](/contract-winners/sac-commercial/public-sector-contract-awards)
- Award value: £92,647
- Tender value: £92,647
- Award date: 19 June 2017
- Published: 24 July 2017
- Contract start: 1 April 2017
- Contract end: 31 March 2020
- Stage: awarded
- Procurement category: services
- Notice ID: 2affe41a-3003-4d86-ad74-210e7fcee55b-161769
- OCID: ocds-b5fd17-0ada98f4-3e8c-4afc-9ffd-96576d175315

## Description

The overall aim of SusSheP is to increase the sustainability and profitability of European Sheep Production by addressing key industry focused problems\. Sheep are unproductive \(but carbon productive\) until they produce their first lamb crop, normally at 2 years of age and, on average, ewes only produce 4 crops of lambs in their lifetime\. Despite its importance both from an economic and environmental perspective ewe longevity is not included in sheep breeding indexes across Europe\. SusSheP will establish the genetic factors controlling ewe longevity, under different Sheep Production Systems \(SPSs\) and assess if early life predictors \(e\.g\. reared as single, twin, etc\.\) can be used to predict longevity\. Parallel to this, SusSheP will identify the most carbon and labour efficient SPSs under different management systems \(e\.g\. prolific vs non-prolific sheep breeds\) in order to enable the development of strategies to reduce or optimise the labour input and carbon hoof print per kg of output\. The breeding of more efficient sheep has been hampered internationally by the lack of sheep artificial insemination, as the only effective method for use with frozen-thawed semen is a laparoscopic procedure, whereby, semen is injected directly into the uterus but this requires veterinary expertise, is welfare unfriendly and sociable unacceptable\. The only exception to this is in Norway, in which vaginal deposition of frozen-thawed semen yields good pregnancy rates\. Research in Ireland has demonstrated this is due to the breed of the ewe used in Norway, whereby sperm can transverse the cervix in greater numbers than in other breeds, leading to higher pregnancy rates\. SusSheP will interrogate the differences across breeds in cervical physiology and its secretions \(genes, proteins and glycans\) with a view of developing a more sociably acceptable AI method\. Finally, through the participation of strategically chosen SME's, SusSheP will maximise knowledge transfer to industry, farmers and the scientific communities Additional information: Please note that Defra procurement uses e-tendering, provided by Bravosolutions\. In order to access the Bravo system you will need to be registered\. Could I therefore request that you register on the Bravo portal for Defra\. If you're already registered on the Bravo portal please check that your registration includes Defra, as you have to specify us in order to correctly receive the tender documents\. If you have any problems with the registration process, please contact the Bravo helpline on 0800 368 4850 or alternatively email them at help@bravosolution\.co\.uk\. The link you require for new registration/amendments to registrations is - https://defra\.bravosolution\.co\.uk

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## Source

[View the original notice on Contracts Finder](https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2affe41a-3003-4d86-ad74-210e7fcee55b-161769)