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Maternal traits wanted

  • 01-11-2015 12:37pm
    #1
    Crashglass
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 ✭


    Looking to bring in maternal traits into ewe flock next year as weaning rate is too low and current ram is getting old. Currently have 50 ewes with half being blackfaces and other half being a mix of Texel, Cheviot and some Suffolk crosses. Land is generally range from average quality lowland down to hill ground of mostly heather. (Usually keep cross ewes on lowland). Considering Belclare ram but may have small lambs and poor milkers and Blue Leicester which may not handle boggy ground if they were put there. Any suggestions?


Comments

  • #2
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    Crashglass wrote: »
    Looking to bring in maternal traits into ewe flock next year as weaning rate is too low and current ram is getting old. Currently have 50 ewes with half being blackfaces and other half being a mix of Texel, Cheviot and some Suffolk crosses. Land is generally range from average quality lowland down to hill ground of mostly heather. (Usually keep cross ewes on lowland). Considering Belclare ram but may have small lambs and poor milkers and Blue Leicester which may not handle boggy ground if they were put there. Any suggestions?

    Lleyn?


  • #3
    Crashglass
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 ✭Crashglass


    But would Lleyns be best option as I don't know much about them or if I could get a good ram at reasonable price


  • #4
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    Crashglass wrote: »
    But would Lleyns be best option as I don't know much about them or if I could get a good ram at reasonable price

    If you have only 50 ewes, would you be as well off to buy replacements and just have a terminal ram?
    I have a Lleyn ram here on only 50 ewes, and whilst I am very happy with him lambing and the ewe lambs are nice. I think it's easier to buy ewe lambs and then will get a terminal ram for next year.


  • #5
    Crashglass
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 ✭Crashglass


    Right now There are two Texel rams each running with half the flock. After a few weeks they're switched to prevent repeats and reduce number of empty ewes. As one ram is getting on in years looking to buy in a new one. Im hoping there will be good Texel lambs as well as some ewe lambs from the other ram for replacements as this will save a lot rather than buying expensive replacements.


  • #6
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    Crashglass wrote: »
    Right now There are two Texel rams each running with half the flock. After a few weeks they're switched to prevent repeats and reduce number of empty ewes. As one ram is getting on in years looking to buy in a new one. Im hoping there will be good Texel lambs as well as some ewe lambs from the other ram for replacements as this will save a lot rather than buying expensive replacements.

    Sounds like it's working well for you.

    So - I have a Lleyn, am happy with him. Easy lambed, lambs are handy. They grow ok - not savage quick to flesh on grass, but good enough too. But I would have good dry land, so I wouldn't be the best to advise you on your land type...

    But from what I heard, the Lleyn are supposedly handy in not-super conditions...


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  • #7
    Green farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,005 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    Username John wrote: »
    If you have only 50 ewes, would you be as well off to buy replacements and just have a terminal ram?

    Might be the easiest solution. Bring your trailer of ewe lambs to the mart , sell and buy a different batch of similiar ewe lambs not related. Just take proper quarantine precautions. Breeding replacements is a good idea, but for the numbers you'd taking about would mean running two flocks and the hastle of unwanted ram lambs from the maternal ram being slower to flesh then your terminal ram.


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