Dorper sheep

I've not seen those, is there a thread or owt that has some pics in?
@hendrebc and @TexelBen below is a link to my advert in livestock for sale (1 left!):

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/high-index-easycare-woolshedding-tups.244050/

They're not pure shedding Texels. I bought a fully shedding Texel in 2014 and put him over Easycare ewes that had already been tested for the Myomax gene. As expected, this has improved shape and growth with the proviso that I need to be careful regarding wool and feet. Just bought a Texel x Easycare tup to put over his daughters and grandaughters to try and stabilise the Texel influence and also another shedding Texel who's out with the pick of the bought-in/non-recorded ewes with the intention of founding another recorded family.
 
Only wool shedder which has ever sparked my interest is the White Dorper.

I'd breed up from my Lleyns.
I don't know that I would be in a rush to incorporate Dorper into hill ewe genetics. I thought that you had been using a couple of Cheviot tups over your Lleyn ewes? Surely a better route would be a decent Easycare/shedding tup over Cheviot x Lleyn ewes?
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I don't know that I would be in a rush to incorporate Dorper into hill ewe genetics. I thought that you had been using a couple of Cheviot tups over your Lleyn ewes? Surely a better route would be a decent Easycare/shedding tup over Cheviot x Lleyn ewes?


That's just a wee play. The ChevX ewes are going back to Lleyn.

I've not seen any easycares I've thought bring much to the table really (except wool shedding). I think ewes with Dorper blood in would leave better lambs for selling than any of the other breeds.


Although saying that - there were in lamb easycares went through Longtown last Feb, I was very tempted to buy them and see how I got on. Glad I didn't with the spring we had
 
That's just a wee play. The ChevX ewes are going back to Lleyn.

I've not seen any easycares I've thought bring much to the table really (except wool shedding). I think ewes with Dorper blood in would leave better lambs for selling than any of the other breeds.


Although saying that - there were in lamb easycares went through Longtown last Feb, I was very tempted to buy them and see how I got on. Glad I didn't with the spring we had
If you're happy with your ewes, then woolshedding is all they really need to bring? Of course there are Easycares about selected for growth rate, muscle depth, myomax etc. as well as that :whistle:
 

TexelBen

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Yorkshire
A pal has a flock of Texel X Dorpers that are quite useful ewes.
I decided to go down the composite route once I discovered the feet on Dorpers. We've recentally had Australian Whites imported to NZ, I expect them to be a vast improvement on the Dorper and I'm watching them closely.
I thought they would mix well with my texels, especially the white faced ones. I'm not too bothered about full shedding, just around the arse and belly ( been breeding my texels for this, nice bald tails and a circle around it). And some of the pics have seen they have some hellish back end on them
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
I thought they would mix well with my texels, especially the white faced ones. I'm not too bothered about full shedding, just around the arse and belly ( been breeding my texels for this, nice bald tails and a circle around it). And some of the pics have seen they have some hellish back end on them

Have you some pics of your Texels please?
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
If you're happy with your ewes, then woolshedding is all they really need to bring? Of course there are Easycares about selected for growth rate, muscle depth, myomax etc. as well as that :whistle:


Pretty much. Just don't want to go backwards in other ways just to get wool shedding (y)

I'm not in a position where I'm moving forward with anything, so it's just a thought for now
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Not on this phone, will try get some at the weekend. There's about 1/4 of my pure texels flock with bald tails or a later circle of wooless area around their arse or both. They do tend to keep a lot cleaner. I suppose there's less for the sh!t to stick to

Same principle as crutching. Avalon genetics breed their “Ultimate” sheep, which doesn’t need crutching or bellying.

https://www.avalongenetics.co.nz/ultimate
 

TexelBen

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Yorkshire
Same principle as crutching. Avalon genetics breed their “Ultimate” sheep, which doesn’t need crutching or bellying.

https://www.avalongenetics.co.nz/ultimate
Yep, that's the idea, less work for me [emoji16]
We do dock tho, they're breeding for naturally short tails. We dock and tag and weigh at 48 hours max (normally within 24) when we lamb inside, so it's not bother to us
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Yep, that's the idea, less work for me [emoji16]
We do dock tho, they're breeding for naturally short tails. We dock and tag and weigh at 48 hours max (normally within 24) when we lamb inside, so it's not bother to us

Still a few seconds per lamb.

As an aside, I have customers on the Tesco COP contracts who are required to declare any routine mutilations. @Tim W has touched on this before, but routine docking may become less acceptable to the consumer going forward.

If it’s possible to breed a sheep which doesn’t require docking, why not do it? If you’re sheep are bare arsed try not docking next lambing and see the results.
 

TexelBen

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Yorkshire
Still a few seconds per lamb.

As an aside, I have customers on the Tesco COP contracts who are required to declare any routine mutilations. @Tim W has touched on this before, but routine docking may become less acceptable to the consumer going forward.

If it’s possible to breed a sheep which doesn’t require docking, why not do it? If you’re sheep are bare arsed try not docking next lambing and see the results.
It would be something I'll be looking into trying in the future, I'm not at the stage of getting a consistently bare tail yet, but hopefully in time we'll get there
 

TexelBen

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Yorkshire
How bizarre. I’m not a subscriber and it worked? Google “dorper sheep Angus”. It’s the top hit.

Basically the Aus Dorper society is trying to launch a dorper lamb brand, similar to Angus beef.
That works spot on. Maybe it's coded to not work with an external link?


Edit, just gives a partial story and asks you to log in
 
Still a few seconds per lamb.

As an aside, I have customers on the Tesco COP contracts who are required to declare any routine mutilations. @Tim W has touched on this before, but routine docking may become less acceptable to the consumer going forward.

If it’s possible to breed a sheep which doesn’t require docking, why not do it? If you’re sheep are bare arsed try not docking next lambing and see the results.
Yes, I run Hampshire x lambs alongside the Easycares. Hamps need tailed and fly prevention which Easycares don't. It's all time and money but the stores are easier to sell and grow faster, although this gap is closing.
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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