Pissssst! New Wool Shedder!

clod hopper · Mar 27, 2020

I might not be the first one to mention this breed on here. It looks like a half useful self replacement breed with the worse name possible!!? Australian White Sheep! Aussies have been working hard on the breed for 10years or so. Pics look good (will only show the best I'm sure). I was in Australia early this year for other stuff saw a few. They are taking off over there (might be the name???). Look useful for the purpose. Been keeping them under my hat wondering wether to get into them or not. Decided not. Not excited enough !
Google them what's your opinion ....

Danllan · Mar 27, 2020

They look good, but as you've written, they would. 140% lambing percentage isn't spectacular, but the growth rates look good. Why are they docked and how much cold and wet can they tolerate?

@neilo @unlacedgecko @Tim W @Johngee opinions?

Bones · Mar 27, 2020

Look like easycare sheep,

NZDan · Mar 27, 2020

clod hopper said:
I might not be the first one to mention this breed on here. It looks like a half useful self replacement breed with the worse name possible!!? Australian White Sheep! Aussies have been working hard on the breed for 10years or so. Pics look good (will only show the best I'm sure). I was in Australia early this year for other stuff saw a few. They are taking off over there (might be the name???). Look useful for the purpose. Been keeping them under my hat wondering wether to get into them or not. Decided not. Not excited enough !
Google them what's your opinion ....

Been quite a few problems with them in NZ, poor feet on them and not that good at shedding. A acquaintance of mine has bought a large number of ewes and rams into NZ. Of the 4 rams only 1 is suitable for use this year. ( 1 died and 2 didn't shed) about half of the ewes never shed. I've looked really closely at using semen but have yet to find a ram that will add to my already existing Meatmaster ewes.
Between the Wiltshire, Texel, Exlana, Easycare and Dorper you have all the tool you need in the tool box.

Tim W · Mar 27, 2020

clod hopper said:
I might not be the first one to mention this breed on here. It looks like a half useful self replacement breed with the worse name possible!!? Australian White Sheep! Aussies have been working hard on the breed for 10years or so. Pics look good (will only show the best I'm sure). I was in Australia early this year for other stuff saw a few. They are taking off over there (might be the name???). Look useful for the purpose. Been keeping them under my hat wondering wether to get into them or not. Decided not. Not excited enough !
Google them what's your opinion ....

You better have a deep cheque book !

Very interesting project that i have been following for a bit ----big claim is enhanced eating quality, the Wagu of the ovine world
Anyone i know who has tasted says it's true

No data (yet) to back up any claims but i am watching eagerly

Tim W · Mar 27, 2020

Danllan said:
They look good, but as you've written, they would. 140% lambing percentage isn't spectacular, but the growth rates look good. Why are they docked and how much cold and wet can they tolerate?

@neilo @unlacedgecko @Tim W @Johngee opinions?

They are in USA, Mexico & China (i am told)
Why docked? Prob. tradition ?

NZDan · Mar 27, 2020

Tim W said:
You better have a deep cheque book !

Very interesting project that i have been following for a bit ----big claim is enhanced eating quality, the Wagu of the ovine world
Anyone i know who has tasted says it's true

No data (yet) to back up any claims but i am watching eagerly

Seems a lot of the primitive breeds have good eating qualities, US data put Finns and Romanovs at the top for eating quality, Shetlands have really high marbling, interestingly the Aussie whites are not looking at marbling but at melting point of the fat which they're able to measure by taking live biopsies from the loin. I'm not sure if that would be allowed in the UK, as far as I'm aware it is not allowed in NZ.

Green farmer · Mar 27, 2020

I saw a interview on them before. The Aussies were implying they were the first to come up with the idea of a haired sheep. So found that interesting/ amusing

Tim W · Mar 27, 2020

NZDan said:
Seems a lot of the primitive breeds have good eating qualities, US data put Finns and Romanovs at the top for eating quality, Shetlands have really high marbling, interestingly the Aussie whites are not looking at marbling but at melting point of the fat which they're able to measure by taking live biopsies from the loin. I'm not sure if that would be allowed in the UK, as far as I'm aware it is not allowed in NZ.

They are ''working towards finalising the gene sequencing of Long chain polyunsaturated omega 3, intramuscular fat and fat melting point in Australian White genetics.'' and the first papers are being peer reviewed apparently ---will be interesting to see what comes out

pgk · Mar 27, 2020

Understand rights sold in UK, look quite a big/heavy sheep to me, will stick with Exlana tups for the time being.

NZDan · Mar 27, 2020

pgk said:
Understand rights sold in UK, look quite a big/heavy sheep to me, will stick with Exlana tups for the time being.

Sold the rights? LOL

Tim W · Mar 27, 2020

NZDan said:
Sold the rights? LOL

You can buy a 10 year exclusive package or a smaller/cheaper deal
The marketing is top grade

I can sell you

the Exlana rights for NZ if you like---10 year exclusive about £40k (cheap cuz it's you ? )
Sheep are obviously an extra cost on top of this deal but I'm sure we can work something out

Woolless · Mar 27, 2020

Eating quality is an interesting angle but if you can get there with a Shetland..

unlacedgecko · Mar 27, 2020

Woolless said:
Eating quality is an interesting angle but if you can get there with a Shetland..

I’ve got 4 culls going to the abattoir tuesday. Speak to me in a mont.

Tim W · Mar 27, 2020

Woolless said:
Eating quality is an interesting angle but if you can get there with a Shetland..

It's something we as producers/breeders have largely ignored for decades
We concentrate on making it easy for us to produce and to grow the largest volume as fast as possible but we don't bother thinking about the quality of the end product
We then wonder why we have a reducing market in the younger generations?

clod hopper · Mar 27, 2020

Tim W said:
You better have a deep cheque book !

Very interesting project that i have been following for a bit ----big claim is enhanced eating quality, the Wagu of the ovine world
Anyone i know who has tasted says it's true

No data (yet) to back up any claims but i am watching eagerly

Thought you'd be interested in this one?

neilo · Mar 27, 2020

Tim W said:
It's something we as producers/breeders have largely ignored for decades
We concentrate on making it easy for us to produce and to grow the largest volume as fast as possible but we don't bother thinking about the quality of the end product
We then wonder why we have a reducing market in the younger generations?

But what is ‘quality’, in the consumer’s eyes? Someone posted on another thread earlier, that hogget was better as it had a better taste, yet some supermarkets, driven by their focus groups, don’t by UK lamb after a Christmas iirc.

Personally, I find fast grown early lamb to be far more tender, with a less strong taste, than hogget. Given the choice, I will opt for the centre ground, a grass fed lamb killed in the Autumn, although early/creep fed Spring lamb can be as tender as prime fillet steak ime.?

Woolless · Mar 27, 2020

unlacedgecko said:
I’ve got 4 culls going to the abattoir tuesday. Speak to me in a mont.

I would have to say that the eating quality of the Hampshire x that have gone in the freezer have been very good, @Coximus will confirm, if he's still on here.

dogjon · Mar 27, 2020

I'm guessing that the eating quality is coming from the Dorper. They always seem to do well in taste and tenderness trials.

Muddyroads · Mar 27, 2020

neilo said:
But what is ‘quality’, in the consumer’s eyes? Someone posted on another thread earlier, that hogget was better as it had a better taste, yet some supermarkets, driven by their focus groups, don’t by UK lamb after a Christmas iirc.

Personally, I find fast grown early lamb to be far more tender, with a less strong taste, than hogget. Given the choice, I will opt for the centre ground, a grass fed lamb killed in the Autumn, although early/creep fed Spring lamb can be as tender as prime fillet steak ime.?

That’s a combination of cooking and taste preference though isn’t it?
Give me slow cooked hogget over young lamb any day, in fact the best sheep meat I’ve ever had was our own mutton at Christmas slow cooked for 9 hours in red wine. Fantastic flavour in my opinion, but perhaps wouldn’t suit others?

Pissssst! New Wool Shedder!

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