Easy Lambing Sire

Mac Taylor

Hi, Looking for a bit of advice. Have 10 year and halfs that I am letting out next month. Used a Suffok ram on them similar last year but had to pull nearly everyone of them. What the best easy lambing sire for Suffolk x ewes? Thanks, Mac

letterkenny man

Mac Taylor wrote: »

Hi, Looking for a bit of advice. Have 10 year and halfs that I am letting out next month. Used a Suffok ram on them similar last year but had to pull nearly everyone of them. What the best easy lambing sire for Suffolk x ewes? Thanks, Mac

I would go with a Charolais ram. lambs can be a bit soft at the start but easy lambed as they say a wee live 1 is better than a big dead 1

sea12

letterkenny man wrote: »

I would go with a Charolais ram. lambs can be a bit soft at the start but easy lambed as they say a wee live 1 is better than a big dead 1

I have the same type of ewes. Changing over to Vendeen rams this year. Meant to be a good cross.

eire23

would ya try lleyn? easy lambed and good hardy lambs up sucking straight away.
Ya would have nice ewe lambs for keeping their easily finished of grass as well

Cran

Charollais would be the easiest lambing sire to use...

Lastin

Charollais is the ram to use and there is good value to be got at the moment for a list of sale dates check the website. www.irishcharollaissheep.net

AntrimGlens

charollais - end of.

Mac Taylor

Thanks for the replies. I take it that the general consensus is charolais!!!!. Must have a look around to see what's out there.

rancher

sea12 wrote: »

I have the same type of ewes. Changing over to Vendeen rams this year. Meant to be a good cross.

Using vendeens for 25 yrs here and a breeder also, with the numbers here they have to be hardy and easy lambing, I lamb 120 ewe lambs here as well, so they seem to tick all the boxes.
Best of luck with the change
200 5 star rams in the Euro Star sale on Saturday in tullamore, most breeds are represented,
Vendeen regional sale in Roscommon on the following Saturday(31st august)

razor8

Bought a charolais last year after dodging them for a few years, was more concerned with breeding replacements. The difference in them and the Suffolk to get up and suck was substantial, very easy finished too

know nothing about the Vendeens

gazahayes

Interested in this thread too. Just after buying 43 texel cross ewe lambs to start off a flock. Was told to use charollais ram but might have a look at lleyn there's an open day I think nearby on Saturday.

razor8

rancher wrote: »

Using vendeens for 25 yrs here and a breeder also, with the numbers here they have to be hardy and easy lambing, I lamb 120 ewe lambs here as well, so they seem to tick all the boxes.
Best of luck with the change
200 5 star rams in the Euro Star sale on Saturday in tullamore, most breeds are represented,
Vendeen regional sale in Roscommon on the following Saturday(31st august)

showing any?

farming93

When is everyone putting out their Rams as a matter of interest?

rancher

razor8 wrote: »

showing any?

Yes, bringing three to Tullamore and three to Roscommon, did very well last year in Tullamore but unfortunately haven't as good figures this year so here's hoping.......nothing to lose...no entry fee and only ten miles from here.

Ps,,What's your liveweight gain at the moment, I've given up on grass, sorted all the lambs over 36kgs and put out the creep feeders for them, they were only doing 1.3 kg/week

Conmaicne Mara

farming93 wrote: »

When is everyone putting out their Rams as a matter of interest?

First or second week of November here. Lambed earlier this Spring, which wasn't a good idea as it turned out.

razor8

rancher wrote: »

Yes, bringing three to Tullamore and three to Roscommon, did very well last year in Tullamore but unfortunately haven't as good figures this year so here's hoping.......nothing to lose...no entry fee and only ten miles from here.

Ps,,What's your liveweight gain at the moment, I've given up on grass, sorted all the lambs over 36kgs and put out the creep feeders for them, they were only doing 1.3 kg/week

very good, happy enough with rams at the moment, might be customer next year

weighed 41 ram lambs in one batch this evening, they did 250 grams since birth and 200g since last weighed 46 days ago so similar, happy enough and put them to my reseeded field, have a good few ready for off next week, 16 averaged 47kg and the rest are averaging 41 so they shouldnt be long on reseeding.
Two more batches to weigh next, the joys of a fragmented farm!

Cran

gazahayes wrote: »

Interested in this thread too. Just after buying 43 texel cross ewe lambs to start off a flock. Was told to use charollais ram but might have a look at lleyn there's an open day I think nearby on Saturday.

I'd personally go Charollais first year on ewe lambs, wouldn't keep the lambs as ewes though. Not sure hogget lambs by Lleyn would finish great, and I keep Lleyns...

Had a conversation with a neighbour on Lleyns x Texels last week, he thinks breeds don't suit each other as growth rate not good enough between breeds. He said charollais across either just clicked, think he's correct on charollais working well with Lleyn / Texel ewes. Anyone try Texel across Lleyn ewes and how did they do compared to Charollais? (sorry no Texel rams here to compare).

rancher

razor8 wrote: »

very good, happy enough with rams at the moment, might be customer next year

weighed 41 ram lambs in one batch this evening, they did 250 grams since birth and 200g since last weighed 46 days ago so similar, happy enough and put them to my reseeded field, have a good few ready for off next week, 16 averaged 47kg and the rest are averaging 41 so they shouldnt be long on reseeding.
Two more batches to weigh next, the joys of a fragmented farm!

We all seem to be achieving the same thrive, even athenry are reporting around the same liveweight gain despite reseeding and giving hairy prices for rams at last years euro star sale. Just shows that theres very little difference in breeds,
I was curious about yours because both my breeds, Lleyn and Vendeen are doing the same thrive,

Are you going to the mart or hoping for a boat

farming93

Had a conversation with a neighbour on Lleyns x Texels last week, he thinks breeds don't suit each other as growth rate not good enough between breeds. He said charollais across either just clicked, think he's correct on charollais working well with Lleyn / Texel ewes. Anyone try Texel across Lleyn ewes and how did they do compared to Charollais? (sorry no Texel rams here to compare).[/QUOTE]

Had a few Lleyn Texel cross lambs this year thought they were a very good cross. All twins with good growth and finished well off grass. Keeping the ewe lambs this year but havent thought what Ill put them to yet.

razor8

rancher wrote: »

We all seem to be achieving the same thrive, even athenry are reporting around the same liveweight gain despite reseeding and giving hairy prices for rams at last years euro star sale. Just shows that theres very little difference in breeds,
I was curious about yours because both my breeds, Lleyn and Vendeen are doing the same thrive,

Are you going to the mart or hoping for a boat

thats very true, i very happy with mine though, my land wouldnt be the cut of anything like your own or athenry

my father always says that a good sheep of any breed is all you need but we all still have our preferences.

Unsure to head to mart or factory. No word on a boat up this way, anything your end?

sea12

Anyone at the Charolais sale today in tullamore. Saw them lines up and being judged but didn't have time to hang around for sale. Couple of lovely sheep but a couple of very plain ones as well.

Any idea on prices. What did they make.

rancher

sea12 wrote: »

Anyone at the Charolais sale today in tullamore. Saw them lines up and being judged but didn't have time to hang around for sale. Couple of lovely sheep but a couple of very plain ones as well.

Any idea on prices. What did they make.

Vendeen ram sale in Roscommon mart today at 1oc
Easy lambing
hardy lambs
born with wool
Performance recorded rams for record performance in your flock.

sea12

rancher wrote: »

Vendeen ram sale in Roscommon mart today at 1oc
Easy lambing
hardy lambs
born with wool
Performance recorded rams for record performance in your flock.

Only saw that now rancher thanks. How did u get on?

rancher

sea12 wrote: »

Only saw that now rancher thanks. How did u get on?

Very poor sale, 8 sold out of 24, I had three in it, sold two for €400, the other one was my last ram out of 25 for sale this year, so he wasn't a great ram.
We don't get charolais prices, so I'm happy enough when I get 400+