Abstract :
This paper deals with a new approach of describing Scottish stratified sheep production
system using information about the breed/crossbreed structure of 133 flocks surveyed in
2006. The aim was to develop a more accurate tool that could simplify the assessment and
description of structural changes of this system. The methodology involves grouping sheep
breeds, creating a Flock Type pattern based on the parents breed and the potential outputs
that could be carried out in the flocks, and finally stratifying the flocks using a Classification
Tree procedure to get an approximation to the traditional hill–upland–lowland description
of the system. Scottish stratified sheep production system is described using categorical
variables from the survey and a Pearson X2 statistic.
The results emphasise that stratified structure is an important part of the Scottish sheep
production system, and that stratified management is in turn an important part of the stratified
structure. Breed structure, breeding goal and flock replacement changes are explained,
and how they are affecting the present system. After comparing the results with other
studies, the Scottish sheep production system seems to be moving towards a less dynamic
system, with a new balance of breeds, more introductions of Terminal Sire breeds and in
which Self Contained breeds and other crossbreeds ewes could compete with Mules
