Star rated rams

DJ98

Check this out on Agriland - SHEEP 2018: Looking to make an extra €5/ewe/year? https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/sheep-2018-looking-to-make-an-extra-e5-ewe-year/

Do many on here use 5 star rams, if so do you notice a difference in them? Do you buy your rams based in looks or stars? Does it pay like it states above?

charolais0153

DJ98 wrote: »

Check this out on Agriland - SHEEP 2018: Looking to make an extra €5/ewe/year? https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/sheep-2018-looking-to-make-an-extra-e5-ewe-year/

Do many on here use 5 star rams, if so do you notice a difference in them? Do you buy your rams based in looks or stars? Does it pay like it states above?

Id prefer to buy 5 star over 1 star but od buy pest sheep over pen rather than highest rated one..
They had two rams (1star and 5 star)on display yesterday and they were both very similiar.
Theyre lambs were very similiar but the 5 stars were 33kgs while the 1 stars were 30.5 kg

Green farmer

For what it’s worth, I couldn’t care less what the stars say and have no faith in them. Find a progressive honest breeder, who runs several hundred sheep in commercial conditions and hasn’t time to waste in pampered animals. A honest man will do their best to sell you an honest animal.

stantheman1979

I can see why people, breeders especially would have no faith in the star system with rams being demoted from 5stars to 1or 2 for no apparent reason. I’ve a few good fellas who I buy rams from. I get in early so I’ll have a good selection. Choose 3or 4 and then check the paper work. Being honest a good breeder wouldn’t dare sell u a 1star ram they’d be culled.

DJ98

How much are lads willing to spend on a ram, 400 is the max here

charolais0153

DJ98 wrote: »

How much are lads willing to spend on a ram, 400 is the max here

If there is a difference of €2.50 per ewe between an average and a top quality ram lambs. 40×2.50=100e if you have him for 3 years . thats 300 euros. So you could pay 700 for a top quality ram rather than an average.

500 generally. Would pay more if i really liked the sheep

Lambman

Max paid €860for a texel ram lamb here 6 or 7 years ago kept him 3years till I got enough nice ewe lambs off him then sold him till next door neighbour for €350. Last ram lamb was €450 as well... Need a Charolais ram lamb this year as the other Charolais is getting on in years so I'll split the hoggets this year till make sure he's working.... Don't need a fancy ram as it's only for hoggets and no replacements will be kept so I'd say €400 max.... On the stars the 1st texel was 4star the texel now was 4 star when I bought him buts now 5 star and the Charolais is 5 star.... Makes good reading but I never once looked at or asked about stars when buying that's just the way it worked out.

stantheman1979

The saying a ram is half your flock is so so true. It’s all very well having good prolific ewes but if you put an average ram with them you’re going to have average lambs. So it pays to buy good rams. If you’ve a small flock you may as well have good sheep as average ones imo. I’m not saying go out and pay €800 for all your ram but if you see a really nice one that will improve things don’t be afraid to spend the extra money. He will pay you back.

Lambman

Does any breeders test for the MYOMAX GENE anymore? Was a big thing 5 or 6 years ago in northern Ireland and england.

AntrimGlens

Lambman wrote: »

Does any breeders test for the MYOMAX GENE anymore? Was a big thing 5 or 6 years ago in northern Ireland and england.

A lot of the Dorset breeders would still state if the rams were a carrier or not. I bought a Dorset ram last year who is a carrier, although i don't see a massive difference in his lambs this year compared to my non myomax carrier lambs. It's certainly not as obvious as double muscling, which is what is claimed. Maybe extra loin meat, but i reckon that's as far as it goes.

Lambman

Yea I seen it on donedeal as u say it was a Dorset ram also... was thinking off putting a Dorset ram till the horned ewes this year as I'll have enough replacements kept off them this year... anybody try the Dorset on horned ewes before? I find the texel leaves them a bit short.

donaldtramp

I love their rams. The sheep they produce grow really fast and they're a lot of craic altogether.

Seriously, a friend of mine owns a few and always says he's never had so much fun in their company since his wife died haha.

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

Yea I seen it on donedeal as u say it was a Dorset ram also... was thinking off putting a Dorset ram till the horned ewes this year as I'll have enough replacements kept off them this year... anybody try the Dorset on horned ewes before? I find the texel leaves them a bit short.

No havent tried a Dorset. Toyin with the idea of crossin some horned again with somethin this yr. Way the store lamb trade for horned lambs this yr is forcin my hand a bit.

Need somethin that can lamb outdoors in April and get up and get on with it. Texels i find need a bit of help at lambin. Especially ram lambs.

Lambman

Yea I bought full and broken mouth horneys put them till a BFL for replacements... give 1 a my texel rams till a friend till put with his horneys both went out same day and my ram lambs are weighing better I lambed mines outside lost 1 ewe with twins dead in her none after that... 1 ram lamb lost an eye ewe mustba been awile lambimg and greybacks were at the lamb but he came on 100%... friend Lambed inside and lost a good few lambs although I think he was feeding to heavy.

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

Yea I bought full and broken mouth horneys put them till a BFL for replacements... give 1 a my texel rams till a friend till put with his horneys both went out same day and my ram lambs are weighing better I lambed mines outside lost 1 ewe with twins dead in her none after that... 1 ram lamb lost an eye ewe mustba been awile lambimg and greybacks were at the lamb but he came on 100%... friend Lambed inside and lost a good few lambs although I think he was feeding to heavy.

Yeah Dorset would be an interesting cross. Think about a vendeen also. Wrangler is getting on well with them this year. But hard to source a ram i like. All up on done deal seem a bitnl narrow for my likin.

wrangler

Just looking at a star rating for a ram at the sale tomorrow, a maternal breed, he's bottom of the breed for no. of lambs born, however he's top for lamb survivabilty which wouldn't be surprising......if his relations are having small crops of lambs it's not hard for them all to survive if most are singles.
Anyway sheep Ireland in their wisdom have awarded him a double five star, doesn't make sense,

grassroot1

Have a hogget ram here his father was an ET birth so he gets 1 star and 1 star he looks a fine sheep. We will have to see will he be sold at all.
Very hard to follow the stars at times

sheepfarmer92

To be blunt, I really think a lot of it is pure bull****

grassroot1

Is anyone planning on attending tommorow I would imagine there will be value in Charollais if the 100 plus rams turn up

wrangler

Don't despair, this guy made 125000 in Lanark yesterday

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?attachments/fb_img_1535107640497-jpg.708470/

grassroot1

wrangler wrote:

Don't despair, this guy made 125000 in Lanark yesterday

They average was in excess of 3000 stg
I will sell my own lad for less and a luck penny

Lano Lynn

wrangler wrote: »

Don't despair, this guy made 125000 in Lanark yesterday

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?attachments/fb_img_1535107640497-jpg.708470/

from the video clip i saw I would like more lamb and less head for that money texels have lost the plot:mad: .lanark is a pantomine

Sheep breeder

wrangler wrote: »

Don't despair, this guy made 125000 in Lanark yesterday

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?attachments/fb_img_1535107640497-jpg.708470/

Yes a pyramid job and next year every one wants a son of this and see he has the new crazy stripper texel, wonder what is next.

Sheep breeder

wrangler wrote: »

Just looking at a star rating for a ram at the sale tomorrow, a maternal breed, he's bottom of the breed for no. of lambs born, however he's top for lamb survivabilty which wouldn't be surprising......if his relations are having small crops of lambs it's not hard for them all to survive if most are singles.
Anyway sheep Ireland in their wisdom have awarded him a double five star, doesn't make sense,

Recently saw two full brothers and one lamb 5 star the other 3 star, tomorrow’s sale the lambs are not pre sale inspected.

wrangler

Sheep breeder wrote: »

Yes a pyramid job and next year every one wants a son of this and see he has the new crazy stripper texel, wonder what is next.

There's rumour now that the wool loss and 'Texel Throat' are linked....it'd be grand if there was some visible symptom

grassroot1

wrangler wrote: »

There's rumour now that the wool loss and 'Texel Throat' are linked....it'd be grand if there was some visible symptom

First time I have seen Texel throat mentioned in print!!
The wool slip being seen as a good thing is nearly as bad.

charolais0153

grassroot1 wrote: »

First time I have seen Texel throat mentioned in print!!
The wool slip being seen as a good thing is nearly as bad.

Why? I like it. Less wool for them to trim!

Ard_MC

Any updates from the sheep ireland sale?

Lano Lynn

wrangler wrote: »

There's rumour now that the wool loss and 'Texel Throat' are linked....it'd be grand if there was some visible symptom

it is not that difficult ,no neck big smashed in bulldog head.
have seen plenty of them dying of it and they were not strippers


the breeders are slowly copping this and looking for rams that hold their heads up



there is a lot of sh1te talked about tight wool

the best carcased texel lamb in tullamore had only middling wool.........

Lano Lynn

Ard_MC wrote: »

Any updates from the sheep ireland sale?

texels were a great trade good sheep were dear and bad sheep very dear


didnt pay much heed to the rest
belclares,suffolksand vendeens looked terrible

there were some good charollais