premature ageing in texel tups.

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I took my old beltex broken mouthed last year. Broke my heart to take him but he wouldn’t have done another winter went very thin previous year

How old though?

I took two 'old' three year olds in Winter/Spring 2020 (which I'd bought as lambs from a 'grass only' rearer). They had got very thin after tupping and not going to manage another year. I was going to take a photo, as it's so rare to see a Beltex cull in Welshpool.
 
How old though?

I took two 'old' three year olds in Winter/Spring 2020 (which I'd bought as lambs from a 'grass only' rearer). They had got very thin after tupping and not going to manage another year. I was going to take a photo, as it's so rare to see a Beltex cull in Welshpool.
I think he was 8. Bought him as a lamb. Been corned to buggery and I never dreamt he would last but he did after melting for 6 months he came back

took 9 or 10 year old texel brothers in last year. Kept a lot of their daughters out of mule as ewes.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Mine last anywhere from 1 month too 8 years. I put it down too too much high power feed as a tup lamb.
Last winter I turned out 24 tups, sold 2 old boys after their work and 10 died between December and mid February. I could not keep the buggers going. I had tried 2 new breeders, won’t be buying from them again. Shearlings that shrink too nothing after tupping while the ewes are fit as fire.
That’s horrendous.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
I’ve heard some horror stories off line.

But personal experience is 1x texel cross tup from @MJT whos out for his 3rd tupping now. Started work as a tup lamb. I’m very happy and went back for another 6 last month.
And 2x texel blooded shedders from @Woolless 1 was killed by some f**kers dog this summer. The other is it for his 2nd tupping as a 4th.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
MV or OPA can be present in even the most ''respected'' flocks. Both diseases are far more widespread than realised.

Meanwhile the Gov. is giving grants for automatic weighers and shedders etc.............:rolleyes:
So you think the tax payer should be funding flock health schemes?

Professional British farmers with ”the highest standards in the world” should have the wit to screen for iceberg diseases off their own initiative.
 

MJT

Member
Breed majority of own Texel tups now , reared on same system as the ewes you’re wanting them to serve is the best way to do it. Bought in tups always hit and miss, look bigger than our home bred as shearlings, but either dead or smaller by time they’re 2-3year old .
 

noagain

Member
Had discussion with my son were wanting more some more beltex in our tup, buy a ewe and hope she lives to rear lambs our way or buy a tup. Went down the female route but have agreed if it doesn't "work out" we're not going straight out to buy a tup next year. We'll go with what we have.
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
We bought a shearling last year, served ewes then tried to die. Reckon he had silent pneumonia, their heads are so messed up its a wonder they can breathe at all. Plus getting sweated up during transport to/from sales. Too much for them.
This boy came back from the dead and going good this year, that's certainly an exception to the rule.

I don't think they can shift the humidity out of their lungs up here, we're typically 90%+, that means the air's almost half water 😲😲.
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Only ever had one beltex.....have never bought another cos hes still going as an 8 shear👌😎😂
I’ve an old beltex here, gave £220 for him as a shearing in Bentham. Ugly as sin, no neck at all. Waddles everywhere. He’s out on his 7th season now and he’s still got good teeth. When all the youngsters were dying last year he just kept waddling and carries on! Throws cracking lambs out of first time shearlings although it’s a wonder he can catch them too serve them!!
 

muleman

Member
I’ve an old beltex here, gave £220 for him as a shearing in Bentham. Ugly as sin, no neck at all. Waddles everywhere. He’s out on his 7th season now and he’s still got good teeth. When all the youngsters were dying last year he just kept waddling and carries on! Throws cracking lambs out of first time shearlings although it’s a wonder he can catch them too serve them!!
Amazing how they jump up and tup big mule ewes!
We bought 6 heifers off a lad and got the tup for luck!
Done better than the expensive ones!
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Amazing how they jump up and tup big mule ewes!
We bought 6 heifers off a lad and got the tup for luck!
Done better than the expensive ones!
The first one grandad ever brought home “I’ve bought one of these beltex things lads, give our lambs a bit more shape” My uncle looked at it and asked “does he come with platform shoes? He’ll never reach!”
The little bugger did… 😂😂👍
 

Agrivator

Member
MV or OPA can be present in even the most ''respected'' flocks. Both diseases are far more widespread than realised.

Meanwhile the Gov. is giving grants for automatic weighers and shedders etc.............:rolleyes:

So you think the tax payer should be funding flock health schemes?

Professional British farmers with ”the highest standards in the world” should have the wit to screen for iceberg diseases off their own initiative.

I didn't say they should be funding health schemes. But they should be supporting compulsory schemes like the BVD eradication scheme in Scotland, which could be extended to MV and OPA in sheep.

Or do you think it is more important to provide grants for high-tech equipment, almost all of which isn't necessary for efficient livestock production.
 
This might be unpopular but does anyone think stock rams have remained a bit cheap compared with lamb price, ewes and other inputs. My dad paid £400 for a (good) Charolais in the mid 1990s. From the outside, it seems like things haven’t moved on much. I wonder if at the price they are, they are almost ‘disposable’, which is a funny way of looking at half your flock. Sorry for rambling/ thinking out loud!
 

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
I didn't say they should be funding health schemes. But they should be supporting compulsory schemes like the BVD eradication scheme in Scotland, which could be extended to MV and OPA in sheep.

Or do you think it is more important to provide grants for high-tech equipment, almost all of which isn't necessary for efficient livestock production.
Should support compulsory schemes...is in all of our interests.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
I didn't say they should be funding health schemes. But they should be supporting compulsory schemes like the BVD eradication scheme in Scotland, which could be extended to MV and OPA in sheep.

Or do you think it is more important to provide grants for high-tech equipment, almost all of which isn't necessary for efficient livestock production.
I don't think there should be grants for equipment, no.


And I 100% support compulsory schemes to eradicate problems. Can we start with scab please?
 
We let our home bred Charollais grow at their own pace so as yearlings they're smaller than sale tups but by the next year they're as big as anyone else's. Tried it with some texels and they stay small and died before they were two yr olds.
 

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