Best ewe Indoor February lambing.

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
Brilliant little sheep 😍
IMG_20180530_164027.jpg

I rest my case.
This lamb was bigger than the ewe when weaned.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
@Kingcustard , why do you think you wouldn’t be able to lamb Highlanders indoors? :scratchhead:

Great for lambing out, but certainly quiet and placid in a shed. Mine always have been anyway.

C402F4A7-87A1-4A41-AB0A-5D5164AB05C8.jpeg


ET recipient just lambed a single (pure Charollais lamb) Tuesday morning. Came in Sunday night, ahead of forecast rain, and had first nuts on Monday morning.

If I was daft enough to want to change everything back to indoor lambing, I’d still have the same breeds.

I’d like to breed the wool off them, but not a single other thing I’d change about them tbh.

I don’t know of anyone selling them as breeding ewes regularly or in any number though, but get some Texel mules and a Highlander/Easydam ram and take control of your destiny?
 

Kingcustard

Member
@neilo I spoke to a guy I know who works for innovis and he says it shouldn't be a problem to get Highlander ewes in the summer, either young ewes or gimmers.

Thinking of delaying a month and lambing March and just do 200 in a oner but raddle them so I can feed accordingly and only have in the shed what is due in the next week.

He reckoned they lamb better later rather than trying to force a February lambing.

Do you tease the ewes to lamb now.

Have you any experience with Aberdales or Aberfields.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
@neilo I spoke to a guy I know who works for innovis and he says it shouldn't be a problem to get Highlander ewes in the summer, either young ewes or gimmers.

Thinking of delaying a month and lambing March and just do 200 in a oner but raddle them so I can feed accordingly and only have in the shed what is due in the next week.

He reckoned they lamb better later rather than trying to force a February lambing.

Do you tease the ewes to lamb now.

Have you any experience with Aberdales or Aberfields.

Those have sponges and embryos implanted. When I used to put embryos in them for December lambing they held (with sponges) as well as anything else. They'd be no more seasonal than mules IME, depending on what they were bred out of of course.

I'd take some of Innovis' claims of availability, and wonder results, with a pinch of salt tbh. They are heavily into their marketing, by whatever means possible.

Out in the real world, there are lots of stories of disappointments with Aberfields as well, no doubt, of folk that are happy with them (not that I've personally met anyone in the latter camp). Not lambed any myself yet, as I'm no fan of any BFL cross.

Aberdales a bit rarer these days as they need careful management not to get crazy litter sizes. They are ultimately just a hyper-prolific Texel X.
 

Kingcustard

Member
Those have sponges and embryos implanted. When I used to put embryos in them for December lambing they held (with sponges) as well as anything else. They'd be no more seasonal than mules IME, depending on what they were bred out of of course.

I'd take some of Innovis' claims of availability, and wonder results, with a pinch of salt tbh. They are heavily into their marketing, by whatever means possible.

Out in the real world, there are lots of stories of disappointments with Aberfields as well, no doubt, of folk that are happy with them (not that I've personally met anyone in the latter camp). Not lambed any myself yet, as I'm no fan of any BFL cross.

Aberdales a bit rarer these days as they need careful management not to get crazy litter sizes. They are ultimately just a hyper-prolific Texel X.
Perfect

So if I can get my hands on Highlanders then that is the best bet you reckon.

Do they eat less than mules if they need hard feed, not wanting to explode them and never dealt with anything other than the big hungry breeds like Suffolks half breds and mules
 

cowboysupper

Member
Mixed Farmer
@Kingcustard , why do you think you wouldn’t be able to lamb Highlanders indoors? :scratchhead:

Great for lambing out, but certainly quiet and placid in a shed. Mine always have been anyway.

View attachment 1020120

ET recipient just lambed a single (pure Charollais lamb) Tuesday morning. Came in Sunday night, ahead of forecast rain, and had first nuts on Monday morning.

If I was daft enough to want to change everything back to indoor lambing, I’d still have the same breeds.

I’d like to breed the wool off them, but not a single other thing I’d change about them tbh.

I don’t know of anyone selling them as breeding ewes regularly or in any number though, but get some Texel mules and a Highlander/Easydam ram and take control of your destiny?

Does the Romney in them dictate twice annual shearing? Nice sheep, when was she last clipped?

Was tempted to buy some last year.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Perfect

So if I can get my hands on Highlanders then that is the best bet you reckon.

Do they eat less than mules if they need hard feed, not wanting to explode them and never dealt with anything other than the big hungry breeds like Suffolks half breds and mules

All sheep still need nutrition, but they are more able to get that nutrition from forage ime. You won’t support output without input, but there is an opportunity to use cheaper sources of nutrition (forage).
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Does the Romney in them dictate twice annual shearing? Nice sheep, when was she last clipped?

Was tempted to buy some last year.

Lord no. If they needed twice a year shearing then they certainly wouldn’t be here!

I shear my April lambing ewes after weaning, and more usually in early-September. Those used as recips, and any empty hoggs, are shorn with the pedigree ewes, in June. She will have been in that group.
 

Jaffa Cakes

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
NI
Those have sponges and embryos implanted. When I used to put embryos in them for December lambing they held (with sponges) as well as anything else. They'd be no more seasonal than mules IME, depending on what they were bred out of of course.

I'd take some of Innovis' claims of availability, and wonder results, with a pinch of salt tbh. They are heavily into their marketing, by whatever means possible.

Out in the real world, there are lots of stories of disappointments with Aberfields as well, no doubt, of folk that are happy with them (not that I've personally met anyone in the latter camp). Not lambed any myself yet, as I'm no fan of any BFL cross.

Aberdales a bit rarer these days as they need careful management not to get crazy litter sizes. They are ultimately just a hyper-prolific Texel X.
Would you think highlanders crisscrossed with llyens would keep a self replacing flock with some hybrid vigor?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Would you think highlanders crisscrossed with llyens would keep a self replacing flock with some hybrid vigor?

I bought a Lleyn tup a few years ago, with that in mind, and I don't dislike the crossbreds at all. I sold him after a couple of years though, as I was so disappointed with the lack of ability to count that the handful (thankfully) of pure Lleyn ewes had.
Those crossbreds are a bit tighter skinned than their mothers, but feet seem a bit softer too.

I tried a NZ Texel in the mix on some too, the Highlander basically being a NZ Texel X already. The crosses were nice enough mature ewes but didn't help with lambing ease. That could just have been down to the particular rams though (it was early on).
 

Jaffa Cakes

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
NI
I bought a Lleyn tup a few years ago, with that in mind, and I don't dislike the crossbreds at all. I sold him after a couple of years though, as I was so disappointed with the lack of ability to count that the handful (thankfully) of pure Lleyn ewes had.
Those crossbreds are a bit tighter skinned than their mothers, but feet seem a bit softer too.

I tried a NZ Texel in the mix on some too, the Highlander basically being a NZ Texel X already. The crosses were nice enough mature ewes but didn't help with lambing ease. That could just have been down to the particular rams though (it was early on).
Thanks, might give it a try. Been breeding to llyen for a few years and wee flock is getting a bit more uniform now. Fancy the idea of introducing something different, was thinking either belclare, nz texel or highlander. Indoor lambing a bit like the OP but much smaller numbers
 

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