Swaledale Ewes @ What Breed of Ram?

Location
Devon
As above what breed of ram would be best put with Full Mouth Swaledale ewes that will produce a decent 44/46 liveweight R grade lamb??

Ideally an easy lambing breed with get up and go as well.

Also what lambing % would be average for the above on a lowland farm?

Or is the above a total non starter?
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
As above what breed of ram would be best put with Full Mouth Swaledale ewes that will produce a decent 44/46 liveweight R grade lamb??
Know nowt about Swales but we run some draft Herdwicks on some very poor lowland grazing and put them to Texels...............................
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Sold some singles straight off their mothers between 39kg and 44kg.
Most of the twins went as stores - av, around £72. Kept a few females to try as breeders to see what they'll do to a Beltex.

Off the top of my head they did about 170%. Lambed outside on their own. Pulled only 2 or3 lambs.

What's not to like? Went to Cockermouth for another load a couple of weeks ago ;)
 
Know nowt about Swales but we run some draft Herdwicks on some very poor lowland grazing and put them to Texels...............................
View attachment 916770
View attachment 916771
Sold some singles straight off their mothers between 39kg and 44kg.
Most of the twins went as stores - av, around £72. Kept a few females to try as breeders to see what they'll do to a Beltex.

Off the top of my head they did about 170%. Lambed outside on their own. Pulled only 2 or3 lambs.

What's not to like? Went to Cockermouth for another load a couple of weeks ago ;)
@neilo , don't like to drag up the past, but perhaps I'm not quite the idiot you made out. (although I appreciate I'm still an idiot)
 

Sandpit Farm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Derbyshire
If you are lambing inside and killing all the offspring then any fast growing terminal would do the job. Charollais seems a good shout.

If you want to keep ewe lambs, there are other options. A maternal Texel may work, a BFL would do ok but you won't get heavy wethers and you've got to mess about providing the rams with suitable shelter... rather predictably, I would suggest a Roussin for this job if you want to keep females (just choose your breeder carefully). It is all pros and cons, mules are well known so you will sell the female progeny but compromise on the males. Exlanas another decent shout with the added bonus you get partial shedders, hardier rams etc but how well would the wethers grade? Is there a market for the partial shedding females?

You could easily achieve 170+% lambing percentage from these ewes if they are in good condition and they are on a high plane of nutrition when they ovulate.
 
Bfl, really no other bred, a beltex on a swale what would that look like. Bfl is what you want., if l had a dry, rough hill, 200 bf ewes 3 bfl tups, winter on there, a block or two, then on to greener ground mid march, lmb 2nd week in April. Even if your new to the ewe lmb game, you'll still get a decent price and the weather's are always wanted.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


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

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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