A TRAILBLAZING initiative to help protect and preserve the iconic Herdwick sheep breed begins this autumn.

The Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association, The Herdy Company and Newton Rigg College have joined forces with a mission to complete the breed’s gene bank which was started during the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic by The Sheep Trust.

The new initiative will help to ensure the long-term protection and survival of the breed and is particularly appropriate as this is the Herdwicks' centenary year.

Six pure bred ewes from fell farms across the county have been brought to Sewborwens Farm at Newton Rigg College, near Penrith, where their embryos will be collected during a closely monitored eight week programme.

These will then be frozen and stored in The Sheep Trust heritage gene bank archive along with fertilised eggs and semen collected by the charity 15 years ago.

Amanda Carson, Secretary of the Herdwick Sheep Breeders' Association said: “The importance of this initiative cannot be over-estimated as we work to extend the Herdwick gene bank with good examples of the breed from proper fell going sheep.

"Our aim is to ensure the protection of the breed should a future catastrophe occur, such as foot-and-mouth, where numbers are either reduced or wiped out. "Although there are Herdwicks elsewhere in the country, these sheep are locally adapted to the breed’s home county and represent the most characteristic fell type.

"The Herdwick Heritage Gene Bank Project is an insurance to ensure the breed's longevity and protection."

Herdwick numbers are currently not under threat – there are about 50,000 in the UK. At the end of the eight week project, the sheep will be returned to their farms to continue as before.

“It is hoped that this project will encourage new gene banks to be established for additional sheep breeds as a much wider national insurance policy to protect the UK’s farm animal genetic resources,” added Ms Carson.

Matt Bagley, Head of Agriculture at the college, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to not only learn more about this breed but to participate in a live project of immense significance.

"They will be involved in the animal husbandry as well as assisting in some of the more technical aspects of the programme which will provide valuable knowledge and experience.”

Paragon Vets, at Newbiggin, are providing veterinary care for the sheep while they are at Newton Rigg and AB Europe are carrying out the embryo collection.