A new publication aims to help pedigree sheep breeders reap greater rewards from their livestock.

EBLEX, the body for beef and lamb levy payers in England, has launched Marketing Breeding Sheep for Better Returns to help producers maximise their returns through more effective marketing and communications. The publications helps identify business objectives and barriers.

EBLEX breeding specialist Samuel Boon said: “Our aim is to encourage breeders to think more about how to market their product and develop better relationships with their customers through more effective communication.”

The publication also looks at the importance of making Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) more accessible to customers, developing a marketing plan, including online marketing, and tips for designing a website.

“We have a new wave of communications at our disposal with smart phones, email and the internet to enhance marketing. It would be a pity for producers not to maximise returns by poor or non-existent marketing, especially given the new levels of interest in EBVs,” said Mr Boon.