THERE is no reason why the UK should not have a vibrant sheep industry in the future.

Peter Morris, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, said the marketplaces existed for a consistent product meeting specific requirements.

UK sheep production was the best placed within the EU to develop and expand.

He believed the Suffolk could play its part in returning maximum profits to commercial sheep farmers by having a group of clearly-identified genetic traits, matching the needs of commercial lamb producers.

It should also continue to evolve as a breed in response to market signals.

Mr Morris believed that, in the future, the price for finished lamb would, in many cases, be determined by lean meat yield and the carcase produced must reflect that change in emphasis.

"Consistency of product for identified marketplaces will become increasingly important as specifications tighten," he said.

On the farm, said Mr Morris, labour was the biggest long-term challenge for sheep farming in the UK. Only when profits returned would people invest in training shepherds.

"The adage of 80pc of time spent on 20pc of sheep must change - the 20pc must go," said Mr Morris, who believed sheep genetics would have the single biggest influence on shepherding.

Suffolk breeders must identify and record the traits that fitted in with those requirements. Mr Morris believed the possession of measured traits would a major selling point for any Suffolk ram.

The future for breeders would be bright if they used genetic advances to best advantage; produced rams for a marketplace they had identified; and responded quickly to changes demanded by their customers.

They must also use information to add value to their rams and work more closely with the rest of the industry for complementary benefit.