Ram selection

brownswiss

Do any of you either show pedigree rams or buy rams at the show & sale. On what basis are the prize winners chosen and what criteria do you use for choosing your ram? Are the breeders breeding based on show criteria ? What breeds have made genetic gains and what breeds are no longer suitable for the commercial flock?

I think it is far more difficult to find a suitable Texel or Suffolk ram now than it was 15 years ago.

I was looking for showing / judging criteria and I found this link http://dohne.com.au/dohnes-unveil-new-judging-system-at-asws/

Food for thought

Cran

brownswiss wrote: »

Do any of you either show pedigree rams or buy rams at the show & sale. On what basis are the prize winners chosen and what criteria do you use for choosing your ram? Are the breeders breeding based on show criteria ? What breeds have made genetic gains and what breeds are no longer suitable for the commercial flock?

I think it is far more difficult to find a suitable Texel or Suffolk ram now than it was 15 years ago.

I was looking for showing / judging criteria and I found this link http://dohne.com.au/dohnes-unveil-new-judging-system-at-asws/

Food for thought

I would never pick a ram on another persons opinion, have bought champions but a champion is only one person choice.

When I'm buying a stock ram want the whole package, stop me passing the pen, correctness, length, power, figures, active and proper breed traits. It's more or less impossible get them all but have come close

Sheep breeder

A lot of show champions are post code champions and returning a favour job and when it comes to the sale part don't make the top money and a lot of the time have jockeys riding the money up.
When we select a ram it is usually for to add different things that are required and has to have all the basics in place and what can he bring to the flock and has to catch the eye.

razor8

what breeds to you run?

grassroot1

There are lots of judging marks to look out for the right colour teardrop in a texel,
enough oil on the head so the shine is perfect. The right shade of colour in the wool, oh and a nice head as that will be the first thing they cut off in the factory so you will want a good head.
Seriously you buy a ram on one day and reap the results for the next 5 years, just because he looks the part on the day may not follow through to his offspring.
Figures help and genetically his progeny should hopefully look like him at a later date but who knows.
To be honest buying a ram is a gamble you take, sometimes it works sometimes it does not.

Neon_Lights

youd generally be after 8 gigabits of bahhh, anything above that is a bonus when it comes to Ram

ganmo

Neon_Lights wrote: »

youd generally be after 8 gigabits of bahhh, anything above that is a bonus when it comes to Ram

That's old hat! It's all about the stars these days!