Livestock production
Our livestock production experts specialise in milk and beef cattle production as well as sheep and goat farming and breeding. We will help you optimise feeding, improve production results and improve animal welfare.
Services for dairy and beef cattle farms
Feeding planning and the optimisation of output and costs ensure good results. Feeding development includes feeding planning and monitoring, and observation of success. Our experts simulate various alternatives to find the best solutions.
We also help to improve the welfare, conditions, treatment routines and health of animals.
Monitoring of production outcomes and comparison data from other farms helps to find areas that need development.
Production figures for dairy cattle consist of milk production data, calculated outcome and data analysis. Production figures provide valuable information in terms of dairy farm management and enable comparison with data both regionally and nationwide.
Services for sheep farms
ProAgria is responsible for Finland’s national sheep breeding program and performance recording. We are recognized by the Finnish Food Authority as a nationally approved breeding society and breeding operation. In addition, ProAgria is acknowledged by the EU as an official breeding organization and sheep farm advisory body.
The Finnsheep herdbook was established in 1922. Our mission is to promote animal welfare, production traits, and genetic diversity in sheep populations. We maintain herdbooks for the following breeds: Finnish Landrace (Finnsheep), Kainuu Grey, Texel, Suffolk, Oxford Down, Dorset, Rygja, Swedish Fur Sheep, Shropshire, Dala, and East Friesian Dairy Sheep. We also maintain the herdbook for the Finnish Goat. The Åland Sheep herdbook is maintained by Föreningen Ålandsfåret rf. All data is registered in our official herdbook software, NettiKatras.
Sheep breeding in Finland aims to improve animal welfare, productivity, and genetic diversity in parallel. The goal is always a healthy, easy-to-manage, and profitable flock with high-quality products. Key selection criteria include structural soundness, maternal ability, growth rate, muscling, carcass traits, and wool or pelt quality. ProAgria contributes to the development of new breeding indexes, advances performance recording systems, and provides advisory services for sheep farms.
The herdbook is a key tool for developing livestock genetics
The herdbook documents breeding evaluations, including heritable traits and known genetic conditions. Genetic evaluations (BLUP indexes) are calculated weekly using performance data—such as 4-month lamb weights—and are central to selection decisions.
On-farm breeding relies on consistent data collection and monitoring. Performance recording follows ICAR standards. Finnish sheep breeders utilise conformation scoring and ultrasound muscle measurements on live animals. Fleece evaluations are conducted primarily for native breeds. In addition to purebred lambs, Finland produces many crossbred lambs each year, with Finn-Texels and Finn-Dorsets being the most common combinations.
