Ram for horned ewes

Lambman

I always buy horned ewes off the hill till breed mules for replacements used crossing BFL this past 2 years and a texel ram till breed hilltex lambs before that. Anyways I've more than enough replacements now and my main flock is all young ewes aswell so I'm not looking at keeping replacements next year. Question is what ram till use on the horned ewes this year? The crossing BFL threw lovely marked lambs but the ram lambs were very very hard till put weight on and didn't sell at all well. The texel throws nice lambs easier finished and sell better but harder lambed and I'll be lambing these ewes all outside. Have a charollais ram there wonder what way would he cross? Also bought a rouge ram lamb as I heard they throw a nice tight skinned lamb off the horned ewe anybody any experience off either? Hampshire down also crossed my mind.

J.O. Farmer

Charolais should cross the finest with lambs as easy finished as the texel. They'll have enough wool too from the mother for outdoor lambing.

Lambman

Wonder what would difference in rouge one them rather than charollais. You'd imagine better shaped tighter skinned lambs?

390kid

We let the charolais at them here and come out the finest a lamb. Seen a few off a rouge with mayo type hornys lovely marked lambs with a nice bit a shape but very short and stocky

Ard_MC

Tried the Hampshire here. Happy with them but think ill go back to a texel this year. As the ewe lambs sell better. And all mine go as stores the texel ram lambs seemed to get a few extra euro.

Tho if you are going to finish them, if you can source a good ram. They are defo worth considering.

Lambman

Don't honestly know what till do have over 80 aged horned ewes there and won't be needing replacements next year. Neighbour wreckons I'd be aswell putting a Lanark ram till them he said the ewe lambs will sell very well even at light weights. Think I'll rule out Hampshire as I don't have 1 and wouldn't be used after this year.

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

Don't honestly know what till do have over 80 aged horned ewes there and won't be needing replacements next year. Neighbour wreckons I'd be aswell putting a Lanark ram till them he said the ewe lambs will sell very well even at light weights. Think I'll rule out Hampshire as I don't have 1 and wouldn't be used after this year.

Yeah lanark is an option for sure. Source 1 with plenty size and power. Wont be cheap. Also a good tight wooled perth is an option. Probaly easier bought.

Lambman

Yea I have been offered a 5year old Lanark never seen him yet tho would suit me perfectly as I only need him 1 year. Least I wouldn't be worrying as much about the weather if I used a lanark. Good horned ewe lambs and hoggets make as much as anything else up this way and for all I got for my mule ram lambs I'd say there would be little or no difference in the horned rams. Another bonus is I wouldn't have till catch all the lambs till rubber there tails.

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

Yea I have been offered a 5year old Lanark never seen him yet tho would suit me perfectly as I only need him 1 year. Least I wouldn't be worrying as much about the weather if I used a lanark. Good horned ewe lambs and hoggets make as much as anything else up this way and for all I got for my mule ram lambs I'd say there would be little or no difference in the horned rams. Another bonus is I wouldn't have till catch all the lambs till rubber there tails.

Never had a lanark here but i am told they can be easy enough finished

OneMan37

Lambman wrote: »

I always buy horned ewes off the hill till breed mules for replacements used crossing BFL this past 2 years and a texel ram till breed hilltex lambs before that. Anyways I've more than enough replacements now and my main flock is all young ewes aswell so I'm not looking at keeping replacements next year. Question is what ram till use on the horned ewes this year? The crossing BFL threw lovely marked lambs but the ram lambs were very very hard till put weight on and didn't sell at all well. The texel throws nice lambs easier finished and sell better but harder lambed and I'll be lambing these ewes all outside. Have a charollais ram there wonder what way would he cross? Also bought a rouge ram lamb as I heard they throw a nice tight skinned lamb off the horned ewe anybody any experience off either? Hampshire down also crossed my mind.

Old thread. But what did you go with in the end Lambman ? And mind me asking why did you change from the Hilltex ewe to the Mule ewe ?

Curragh of Kildare Sheepman

To Lambman

Schwarzkopf (Skf) - = Black Head Meat Sheep - Renown For Easy Lambing - on all breeds and even on the little Shetland Sheep.

See skfsheep.ie
See Skf cross Horned and Mule Stock Lambs in Kildare Now. 085 105 7140

German Sheep in Ireland since 2011-

2017 Champ of All of Germany stands in Kildare with his sons. More of His sons now stand in Top 1 % of Purebred Flocks back in Germany, and more are available for you here by the Curragh in Kildare if you wishto take a look. Real sheep! no pampering. Have been used on horned sheepin Donegal and Kery and here on Curragh as well as in nearly all Counties in Ireland.

9AM to 9pm 085 1057140
(Itried replying earlier but I think with no success - am new to this Boards .ie system)

Dinzee Conlee

Curragh of Kildare Sheepman wrote: »

To Lambman

Schwarzkopf (Skf) - = Black Head Meat Sheep - Renown For Easy Lambing - on all breeds and even on the little Shetland Sheep.

See skfsheep.ie
See Skf cross Horned and Mule Stock Lambs in Kildare Now. 085 105 7140

German Sheep in Ireland since 2011-

2017 Champ of All of Germany stands in Kildare with his sons. More of His sons now stand in Top 1 % of Purebred Flocks back in Germany, and more are available for you here by the Curragh in Kildare if you wishto take a look. Real sheep! no pampering. Have been used on horned sheepin Donegal and Kery and here on Curragh as well as in nearly all Counties in Ireland.

9AM to 9pm 085 1057140
(Itried replying earlier but I think with no success - am new to this Boards .ie system)

They look very similar to a Suffolk, with maybe a touch more down in them... Bit finer boned maybe, which is no harm.
If I saw the lambs, I would have said they were suffolk...

Are you the man behind the breed?
If so, what are they like vs suffolks? (given thats what they look like)

Ard_MC

Curragh of Kildare Sheepman wrote: »

To Lambman

Schwarzkopf (Skf) - = Black Head Meat Sheep - Renown For Easy Lambing - on all breeds and even on the little Shetland Sheep.

See skfsheep.ie
See Skf cross Horned and Mule Stock Lambs in Kildare Now. 085 105 7140

German Sheep in Ireland since 2011-

2017 Champ of All of Germany stands in Kildare with his sons. More of His sons now stand in Top 1 % of Purebred Flocks back in Germany, and more are available for you here by the Curragh in Kildare if you wishto take a look. Real sheep! no pampering. Have been used on horned sheepin Donegal and Kery and here on Curragh as well as in nearly all Counties in Ireland.

9AM to 9pm 085 1057140
(Itried replying earlier but I think with no success - am new to this Boards .ie system)

Any photos of lambs from horned ewes?

Curragh of Kildare Sheepman

No photo's yet because I am a slow learner with conputer tech. I might yet manage to find a friend who can take photo's of the lambs fromhorned and mule sheep by Skf, and can the post the photo's. Oh and yes I am the man behind the breed in Ireland.

mayoireland

I have mts sheep for last 20 years always ran Suffolk rams with them and mts rams for replacements . There is a market for suffolkcross ewe lambs and the rams are finished for factory. I had a trail last year with ch ram with hoggets. The ch ram lambs finished faster than the Suffolk lambs.the only problem with the Suffolk lambs is they get very scoury and you spend half your summer watching them .I have mixed land so the mts do very well. What type of land do you have lambman ?

Kevhog1988

Curragh of Kildare Sheepman wrote: »

No photo's yet because I am a slow learner with conputer tech. I might yet manage to find a friend who can take photo's of the lambs fromhorned and mule sheep by Skf, and can the post the photo's. Oh and yes I am the man behind the breed in Ireland.

I was talking to you at the ploughing there 2 years ago i think. they are powerful looking sheep alright. Im in Kildare too.

148multi

What about a southdown for crossing on the mountain ewe