- Location
- Fife
Looking for one lambing in Oct/Nov/Dec using a Dorset. Want to buy bottle lambs. Long term relationship preferred.
Is that the one that's owned by Crispin Tweddell?Orchid Meadow are the only ones still using a Dorset I think. A long way from you!
Quite happy to have whatever ewe, but looking for one using a Dorset ram.Orchid Meadow are the only ones still using a Dorset I think. A long way from you!
Yes. I want to retain Dorset x ewe lambs and put them to a carefully selected dorper for a shedding accelerated lambing flock.Why use a Dorset ram ?are you keeping females?
Dorset to help the 2x year lambing?Yes. I want to retain Dorset x ewe lambs and put them to a carefully selected dorper for a shedding accelerated lambing flock.
Also, Dorset x ram lambs perform very well in my feedlot system.
Yep! And put a bit of shape in the dairy ewesDorset to help the 2x year lambing?
Not sure how I guessedYep! And put a bit of shape in the dairy ewes
April and October. 21 days each time. All outside and off fully grazed forage.Not sure how I guessed
How do you plan to time the lambing's? What times of year will you be aiming for??
October lambers being grazed on cover crops, stubble crops etc? Aiming for each ewe to rear triplets??April and October. 21 days each time. All outside and off fully grazed forage.
Two things to be wary of, feet and soft sheep. Oh and terrible mother's, teat placement etc.April and October. 21 days each time. All outside and off fully grazed forage.
No disrespect at all, but I think he might be aware of thatTwo things to be wary of, feet and soft sheep. Oh and terrible mother's, teat placement etc.
Yes October lambs on cover crops.October lambers being grazed on cover crops, stubble crops etc? Aiming for each ewe to rear triplets??
I speak to an Australian over Facebook who has a dorper based shedding composite which lambs every 6 months.When I was at Harper (mid '80's) they had a flock of Finn x Dorset that lambed every 8 months (ie 3 times in 2 years). It seemed a massively expensive system, involving sponging and even some AI. I'm sure that they will have thought about/ given a try to lambing the every 6 months. It never caught on for some reason.
Mind you at today's lamb prices it might be worth the cost and hassle.
be wary of recorded ones , its not the recording as such just a lot were breeding for leanness and growth and IDF was put in (shh) they are very wary / wild sheep to handle , I think David Rossiter uses some NZ blood which is fine and prob more functional for what your looking for .if you can find stock from them , it might be worth ringing him see who buys his rams, there are a few big flocks of commercial ewes that supply waitrose contracts aroundYep! And put a bit of shape in the dairy ewes
What about them?@unlacedgecko if their outside on a grazed forage system have you thought about worms and fluke.
I really wanted to do it years ago but when I eventually worked it all out I was better off staying with what I knew
You can’t use a lot of them on lactating ewes or for their lifetime from what I remember, hence why most are indoor only systems. Plus most dairy breeds are known for very poor feet, not going to make that any better with Dorset and DorpersWhat about them?